This bill amends the Defense Production Act of 1950 to strengthen federal rules against price gouging during supply shortages and crises. The legislation expands the definition of prohibited price gouging to cover any price increase that "grossly exceeds" prevailing market prices for essential goods, with a presumption that a 10 percent price increase during an acute shortage qualifies as price gouging unless the seller can justify it due to legitimate business needs or uncontrollable cost increases. The bill defines critical goods broadly to include food, essential medical supplies, energy resources, and other items vital to public health and safety, as well as acute shortages caused by disease, natural disasters, military conflict, supply-chain disruptions, and similar emergencies. Violators face significantly increased penalties—a fine of the greater of $20,000 or 300 percent of the revenue generated through the illegal price increases, a substantial increase from current law. The bill was introduced in July 2025 and referred to the House Committee on Financial Services but contains no specific funding allocations or implementation timeline.
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