[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1252 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1252

 To protect consumers from price-gouging of gasoline and other fuels, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 28, 2007

    Mr. Stupak (for himself, Mr. Boucher, Mr. Engel, Mr. Allen, Ms. 
 Schakowsky, Mr. Markey, Mr. Doyle, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Hill, Ms. Hooley, 
Mr. Weiner, Mr. Ross, Ms. Harman, Mr. McHugh, Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Frank 
 of Massachusetts, Ms. Herseth, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Baird, Mr. Bishop of 
     New York, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Boswell, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Brady of 
  Pennsylvania, Mr. Carney, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Oberstar, Ms. Clarke, 
Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Mr. Cohen, Mr. 
Conyers, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Farr, Mr. Visclosky, 
Mr. Fattah, Mr. Berry, Mr. Filner, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Hare, Mr. Higgins, 
Ms. Sutton, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Holden, Mr. Carnahan, Mr. Holt, Mr. Johnson 
of Georgia, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Lantos, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, 
 Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Lynch, Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Mrs. Christensen, 
Mr. Berman, Mr. McGovern, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Maloney of New 
 York, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California, Mr. Michaud, Mr. 
 Tierney, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Altmire, Mr. Patrick J. 
 Murphy of Pennsylvania, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Pascrell, Ms. Schwartz, Mr. 
 Serrano, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Capuano, Ms. Berkley, 
Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Nadler, and Mr. Ryan of Ohio) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To protect consumers from price-gouging of gasoline and other fuels, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Price Gouging Prevention 
Act''.

SEC. 2. UNCONSCIONABLE PRICING OF GASOLINE, OIL, NATURAL GAS, AND 
              PETROLEUM DISTILLATES DURING EMERGENCIES.

    (a) Unconscionable Pricing.--
            (1) In general.--It shall be unlawful for any person to 
        sell crude oil, gasoline, natural gas, or petroleum distillates 
        at a price that--
                    (A) is unconscionably excessive; or
                    (B) indicates the seller is taking unfair advantage 
                unusual market conditions (whether real or perceived) 
                or the circumstances of an emergency to increase prices 
                unreasonably.
            (2) Factors considered.--In determining whether a violation 
        of paragraph (1) has occurred, there shall be taken into 
        account, among other factors, whether--
                    (A) the amount charged represents a gross disparity 
                between the price of the crude oil, gasoline, natural 
                gas, or petroleum distillate sold and the average price 
                at which it was offered for sale by the seller during 
                the preceding 30 days; or
                    (B) the amount charged grossly exceeds the price at 
                which the same or similar crude oil, gasoline, natural 
                gas, or petroleum distillate was readily obtainable by 
                other purchasers in the same geographical area.
            (3) Mitigating factors.--In determining whether a violation 
        of paragraph (1) has occurred, there also shall be taken into 
        account, among other factors, whether the price at which the 
        crude oil, gasoline, natural gas, or petroleum distillate was 
        sold reasonably reflects additional costs, not within the 
        control of the seller, that were paid or incurred by the 
        seller.
    (b) False Pricing Information.--It is unlawful for any person to 
report information related to the wholesale price of crude oil, 
gasoline, natural gas, or petroleum distillates to the Federal Trade 
Commission if--
            (1) that person knew, or reasonably should have known, the 
        information to be false or misleading;
            (2) the information was required by law to be reported; and
            (3) the person intended the false or misleading data to 
        affect data compiled by that department or agency for 
        statistical or analytical purposes with respect to the market 
        for crude oil, gasoline, natural gas, or petroleum distillates.
    (c) Market Manipulation.--It is unlawful for any person, directly 
or indirectly, to use or employ, in connection with the purchase or 
sale of crude oil, gasoline, natural gas, or petroleum distillates at 
wholesale, any manipulative or deceptive device or contrivance, in 
contravention of such rules and regulations as the Federal Trade 
Commission may prescribe as necessary or appropriate in the public 
interest or for the protection of United States citizens.
    (d) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall promulgate 
rules necessary and appropriate to enforce this section.

SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT BY THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.

    (a) Enforcement by FTC.--A violation of section 2 shall be treated 
as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or 
practice prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade 
Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). The Federal Trade Commission 
shall enforce this Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with 
the same jurisdiction as though all applicable terms and provisions of 
the Federal Trade Commission Act were incorporated into and made a part 
of this Act. In enforcing section 2(a) of this Act, the Commission 
shall give priority to enforcement actions concerning companies with 
total United States wholesale or retail sales of crude oil, gasoline, 
and petroleum distillates in excess of $500,000,000 per year.
    (b) Civil Penalties.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding the penalties set forth 
        under the Federal Trade Commission Act, any person who violates 
        this Act shall be subject to the following penalties:
                    (A) Price gouging; unjust profits.--Any person who 
                violates section 2(a) of this Act shall be subject to--
                            (i) a fine of not more than 3 times the 
                        amount of profits gained by such person through 
                        such violation; or
                            (ii) a fine of not more than $3,000,000.
                    (B) False information; market manipulation.--Any 
                person who violates section 2(b) or 2(c) of this Act 
                shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than 
                $1,000,000.
            (2) Method of assessment.--The penalties provided by 
        paragraph (1) shall be assessed in the same manner as civil 
        penalties imposed under section 5 of the Federal Trade 
        Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45).
            (3) Multiple offenses; mitigating factors.--In assessing 
        the penalty provided by subsection (a)--
                    (A) each day of a continuing violation shall be 
                considered a separate violation; and
                    (B) the Federal Trade Commission shall take into 
                consideration the seriousness of the violation and the 
                efforts of the person committing the violation to 
                remedy the harm caused by the violation in a timely 
                manner.

SEC. 4. CRIMINAL PENALTIES.

    Any person who violates section 2 or any rule or order issued 
thereunder shall be fined under title 18, United States Code--
            (1) if a corporation, not to exceed $150,000,000; or
            (2) if any other person, not to exceed $2,000,000, or 
        imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both.

SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT AT RETAIL LEVEL BY STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL.

    (a) In General.--A State, as parens patriae, may bring a civil 
action on behalf of its residents in an appropriate district court of 
the United States to enforce the provisions of section 2(a) of this 
Act, or to impose the civil penalties authorized by section 3(b)(1)(B), 
whenever the attorney general of the State has reason to believe that 
the interests of the residents of the State have been or are being 
threatened or adversely affected by a violation of this Act or a 
regulation under this Act.
    (b) Notice.--The State shall serve written notice to the Federal 
Trade Commission of any civil action under subsection (a) prior to 
initiating such civil action. The notice shall include a copy of the 
complaint to be filed to initiate such civil action, except that if it 
is not feasible for the State to provide such prior notice, the State 
shall provide such notice immediately upon instituting such civil 
action.
    (c) Authority To Intervene.--Upon receiving the notice required by 
subsection (b), the Federal Trade Commission may intervene in such 
civil action and upon intervening--
            (1) be heard on all matters arising in such civil action; 
        and
            (2) file petitions for appeal of a decision in such civil 
        action.
    (d) Construction.--For purposes of bringing any civil action under 
subsection (a), nothing in this section shall prevent the attorney 
general of a State from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney 
general by the laws of such State to conduct investigations or to 
administer oaths or affirmations or to compel the attendance of 
witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence.
    (e) Venue; Service of Process.--In a civil action brought under 
subsection (a)--
            (1) the venue shall be a judicial district in which--
                    (A) the defendant operates;
                    (B) the defendant was authorized to do business; or
                    (C) where the defendant in the civil action is 
                found;
            (2) process may be served without regard to the territorial 
        limits of the district or of the State in which the civil 
        action is instituted; and
            (3) a person who participated with the defendant in an 
        alleged violation that is being litigated in the civil action 
        may be joined in the civil action without regard to the 
        residence of the person.
    (f) Limitation on State Action While Federal Action Is Pending.--If 
the Federal Trade Commission has instituted a civil action or an 
administrative action for violation of this Act, no State attorney 
general, or official or agency of a State, may bring an action under 
this subsection during the pendency of that action against any 
defendant named in the complaint of the Federal Trade Commission or the 
other agency for any violation of this Act alleged in the complaint.
    (g) Enforcement of State Law.--Nothing contained in this section 
shall prohibit an authorized State official from proceeding in State 
court to enforce a civil or criminal statute of such State.

SEC. 6. LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE.

    Amounts collected in fines and penalties under sections 3 or 4 of 
this Act shall be deposited in a separate fund in the treasury to be 
known as the Consumer Relief Trust Fund. To the extent provided for in 
advance in appropriations Acts fund shall be used to provide assistance 
under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program administered by the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services.

SEC. 7. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    (a) Other Authority of Federal Trade Commission.--Nothing in this 
Act shall be construed to limit or affect in any way the Federal Trade 
Commission's authority to bring enforcement actions or take any other 
measure under the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) 
or any other provision of law.
    (b) State Law.--Nothing in this Act preempts any State law.

SEC. 8. MARKET TRANSPARENCY FOR CRUDE OIL, GASOLINE, AND PETROLEUM 
              DISTILLATES.

    (a) In General.--The Federal Trade Commission shall facilitate 
price transparency in markets for the sale of crude oil and essential 
petroleum products at wholesale, having due regard for the public 
interest, the integrity of those markets, fair competition, and the 
protection of consumers.
    (b) Marketplace Transparency.--
            (1) Dissemination of information.--In carrying out this 
        section the Federal Trade Commission shall provide by rule for 
        the dissemination, on a timely basis, of information about the 
        availability and prices of wholesale crude oil, gasoline, and 
        petroleum distillates to the Federal Trade Commission, States, 
        wholesale buyers and sellers, and the public.
            (2) Protection of public from anticompetitive activity.--In 
        determining the information to be made available under this 
        section and time to make the information available, the Federal 
        Trade Commission shall seek to ensure that consumers and 
        competitive markets are protected from the adverse effects of 
        potential collusion or other anticompetitive behaviors that can 
        be facilitated by untimely public disclosure of transaction-
        specific information.
            (3) Protection of market mechanisms.--The Federal Trade 
        Commission shall withhold from public disclosure under this 
        section any information the Commission determines would, if 
        disclosed, be detrimental to the operation of an effective 
        market or jeopardize system security.
    (c) Information Sources.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
        Federal Trade Commission may--
                    (A) obtain information from any market participant; 
                and
                    (B) rely on entities other than the Commission to 
                receive and make public the information, subject to the 
                disclosure rules in subsection (b)(3).
            (2) Published data.--In carrying out this section, the 
        Federal Trade Commission shall consider the degree of price 
        transparency provided by existing price publishers and 
        providers of trade processing services, and shall rely on such 
        publishers and services to the maximum extent possible.
            (3) Electronic information systems.--The Federal Trade 
        Commission may establish an electronic information system if it 
        determines that existing price publications are not adequately 
        providing price discovery or market transparency. Nothing in 
        this section, however, shall affect any electronic information 
        filing requirements in effect under this Act as of the date of 
        enactment of this section.
            (4) De minimus exception.--The Federal Trade Commission may 
        not require entities who have a de minimus market presence to 
        comply with the reporting requirements of this section.
    (d) Cooperation With Other Federal Agencies.--
            (1) Memorandum of understanding.--Within 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission 
        shall conclude a memorandum of understanding with the Commodity 
        Futures Trading Commission and other appropriate agencies (if 
        applicable) relating to information sharing, which shall 
        include provisions--
                    (A) ensuring that information requests to markets 
                within the respective jurisdiction of each agency are 
                properly coordinated to minimize duplicative 
                information requests; and
                    (B) regarding the treatment of proprietary trading 
                information.
            (2) CFTC jurisdiction.--Nothing in this section may be 
        construed to limit or affect the exclusive jurisdiction of the 
        Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity 
        Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.).
    (e) Rulemaking.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall initiate a rulemaking 
proceeding to establish such rules as the Commission determines to be 
necessary and appropriate to carry out this section.
                                 <all>