Slotkin Leads Legislation to Ban Corporate Price Gouging

WASHINGTON, D.C.
– U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA),  Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI to introduce the
Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025.
This comprehensive legislation is aimed at stopping corporations from exploiting emergencies to hike prices and profit at the expense of American families.
“Michiganders know their pocketbooks. They know when they are getting taken for a ride. The cost of living is too high in America, and it is keeping hard-working people out of the middle class,”
said Senator Slotkin.
“One way to attack that problem is to crack down on price gouging from the largest, multi-national corporations, who too often use a crisis or supply chain disruption to further squeeze Americans and raise prices. This bill strengthens the tools in our toolkit to go after bad-faith actors and protect the middle class.”
The bill makes price gouging unlawful during periods of “exceptional market shock,” such as natural disasters, public health emergencies, wars, or abrupt changes in energy or trade policy. It empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to crack down on companies engaging in abusive pricing and grants the agency new authority to seek permanent injunctions, civil penalties, and consumer compensation.
Key provisions of the
Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025
include:
Ban on Grossly Excessive Pricing:
Makes it illegal for companies to charge excessive prices during market shocks, regardless of their position in the supply chain.
Stronger Enforcement Tools:
Expands the FTC’s ability to pursue penalties, injunctions, and restitution for consumers.
Transparency in Corporate Filings:
Requires public companies to disclose detailed pricing and profit strategies during market disruptions.
Support for State Action:
Enables state attorneys general to take legal action against price gouging within their jurisdictions.
Robust Funding:
Provides $1 billion in funding for the FTC to enforce the law through 2033.
Full text of the bill is available
here.
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