[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4488 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4488

  To authorize the Federal Trade Commission to independently initiate 
    certain actions to recover civil penalties for such violations.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 16, 2021

Ms. Schakowsky introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
   the Judiciary, 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

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                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the Federal Trade Commission to independently initiate 
    certain actions to recover civil penalties for such violations.

    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 ``FTC Autonomy Act''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION INDEPENDENT LITIGATION AUTHORITY.

    (a) Authority of the FTC To Recover Certain Civil Penalties.--The 
Federal Trade Commission Act is amended--
            (1) in section 5(l) (15 U.S.C. 45(l)) in the first sentence 
        by inserting ``the Commission or'' after ``brought by''; and
            (2) in section 16(a)(2) (15 U.S.C. 56(a)(2))--
                    (A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``; or'' and 
                inserting a semicolon; and
                    (B) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the 
                following:
            ``(E) to obtain a civil penalty authorized under any 
        provision of law enforced by the Commission.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 16(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Trade 
Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 56(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking 
``(including an action to collect a civil penalty)''.
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