New rules would crack down on price gouging for essential goods during emergencies.
This bill would make it harder for businesses to charge extremely high prices for essential items like food, medicine, and fuel during emergencies or shortages. It would set clear limits on price increases and create significant penalties for those who break the rules. The aim is to protect everyday consumers.
Today, the Defense Production Act mainly stops the hoarding of scarce materials for resale at higher prices. This bill would explicitly ban price gouging on a wider range of essential items during emergencies, setting a clear 10 percent price increase as a likely violation. It would also impose fines of at least $20,000 or 300 percent of illegal profits for those who break the rules.
HR 4720 · 119th Congress · July 23, 2025 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 10/10
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