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Prohibits selling goods or services at a “grossly excessive” price and gives the Federal Trade Commission broad authority to define and enforce that ban, including rulemaking, civil penalties, and injunctions; State attorneys general may bring parallel enforcement actions. Requires publicly traded companies that experienced an "exceptional market shock" to disclose detailed, tabular and narrative comparisons of price, volume, cost, and margin changes in their next SEC Form 10‑Q or 10‑K filing. Provides a one‑time appropriation of $1 billion to the FTC for fiscal year 2025 to carry out related work.
The bill strengthens consumer protections and market transparency during emergencies and shocks by empowering the FTC and states, at the cost of higher compliance burdens, potential liability and fines for businesses, and added taxpayer-funded enforcement resources.
Consumers (especially middle‑class families) will face lower or more stable prices during declared market shocks because the FTC can block grossly excessive price gouging and seek restitution.
Small businesses and competitors harmed by dominant firms gain clearer pathways to relief because the law targets firms with 'unfair leverage' and allows civil actions, damages, and state enforcement.
Investors and retail shareholders gain standardized, granular disclosures on revenue, pricing, and margins after market shocks, improving transparency and investment decision‑making.
A broad set of definitions and new disclosure/reporting requirements will increase compliance costs and administrative burdens for many firms, especially small businesses and financial institutions.
Companies face substantial monetary risk because violations can carry steep penalties (including fines tied to up to 5% of prior 12‑month revenues), which could be passed to consumers or reduce investment.
Delegating key definitions (e.g., 'grossly excessive price', 'market', 'imminence') to FTC rulemaking or guidance creates transitional uncertainty that complicates pricing and planning during shocks.
Introduced July 17, 2025 by Janice D. Schakowsky · Last progress July 17, 2025