Top Legislation - View All
Latest Action: 10/03/2008 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 110-913. Bill TextTo amend the antitrust laws to ensure competitive market-based rates and terms for merchants' access to electronic payment systems. 3/6/2008--Introduced. Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008 - Authorizes providers of a single covered electronic payment system (e.g. Visa or Mastercharge credit cards) and any merchants to jointly negotiate and agree upon rates and terms for access to such a system. Defines covered electronic payment system as any system that has been used for at least 20% of the combined dollar value of U.S. credit, signature-based debit, and PIN-based debit card payments processed in the applicable base year. Grants limited antitrust immunity to such providers and merchants, as well as to those providers who jointly determine among themselves the proportionate division of paid access fees. Sets forth procedures to determine rates and terms for access to a covered electronic payment system. Prohibits any other rates and terms from being [...] show full description
Latest Action: 09/30/2008 - Presented to President. Bill TextTo amend the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 to make permanent the favorable treatment of need-based educational aid under the antitrust laws. 4/30/2008--Passed House amended. (There are 2 other summaries) Need-Based Educational Aid Act of 2008 - Amends the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 to make permanent the antitrust exemption that allows institutions of higher education that admit all students on a need-blind basis to enter into agreements, or attempt to enter into agreements, among themselves regarding the administration of need-based financial aid.
Also tagged in: Business, Consumers, Contracts, Employee health benefits, Finance, Health insurance, Health maintenance organizations, Health policy, Labor, Law, Managed care, Medical care, Medicine, Pharmacies, Prescription pricing, Restrictive trade practices
Latest Action: 09/28/2008 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 110-898. Bill TextTo ensure and foster continued patient safety and quality of care by making the antitrust laws apply to negotiations between groups of independent pharmacies and health plans and health insurance issuers (including health plans under parts C and D of the Medicare Program) in the same manner as such laws apply to protected activities under the National Labor Relations Act. 2/8/2007--Introduced. Community Pharmacy Fairness Act of 2007 - Entitles independent pharmacies negotiating contract terms with a health plan for the provision of health care items or services to the same treatment under the antitrust laws as the treatment to which bargaining units recognized under the National Labor Relations Act are entitled. Treats such a pharmacy as an employee engaged in concerted activities in connection with such negotiations. Exempts actions taken in good faith reliance on this Act from being subject to criminal sanctions or civil penalties beyond actual damages incurred. [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Bankruptcy, Business, Casualty insurance, Corporate mergers, Corporate reorganizations, Department of the Treasury, Executive departments, Executive reorganization, Federal preemption, Finance, Holding companies, Insurance agents, Insurance companies, Insurance law, Law, Licenses, Life insurance, Ombudsman, Politics and government, Property insurance, State and local government, State laws
Latest Action: 05/24/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6849) Bill TextA bill to authorize the issuance of Federal charters and licenses for carrying on the sale, solicitation, negotiation, and underwriting of insurance or any other insurance operations, to provide a comprehensive system for the Federal regulation and supervision of national insurers and national agencies, to provide for policyholder protections in the event of an insolvency or the impairment of a national insurer, and for other purposes. 5/24/2007--Introduced. National Insurance Act of 2007 - Establishes in the Department of the Treasury an Office of National Insurance (ONI), headed by a Commissioner of National Insurance, with Divisions of Insurance Fraud and of Consumer Affairs, and an Office of the Ombudsman.Authorizes the Commissioner to supervise, regulate, and provide for registration of insurance self-regulatory organizations. Requires the Commissioner to supervise national insurers and national agencies, including chartering and licensing. Removes them,[...] show full description
Also tagged in: Access to health care, Admission of nonimmigrants, Agriculture, Agriculture in foreign trade, Alien labor, Armed forces, Budgets, Business, Children, Church and social problems, Citizen participation, Civil liberties, Civil rights, Communications, Consumer education, Consumer protection, Consumers, Countervailing duties, Day care, Defense policy, Developing countries, Drugs, Dumping, Economic development, Economic policy, Education, Elementary and secondary education, Employee rights, Energy, Environmental protection, Environmental protection groups, Families, Family farms, Federal-local relations, Federal-state relations, Food, Food safety, Food supply, Foreign investments, Foreign policy, Freedom of information, Government information, Government lending, Government procurement, Government regulation, Health policy, Human rights, Immigration, Import relief, Import restrictions, International affairs, International environmental cooperation, International finance, International labor activities, Investors, Labor, Labor unions, Local laws, Medical care, Medicine, Minorities, Minority business enterprises, National security, Occupational health and safety, Plant quarantine, Politics and government, Postal service, Public contracts, Public health, Public utilities, Refuse and refuse disposal, Religion, Restrictive trade practices, Seeds, Small business, Social services, Solid wastes, Standards, State and local government, State laws, Subsidies, Taxation, Temporary employment, Trade, Trade agreements, Trade negotiations, Transportation, Water resources, Women, Women in business
Latest Action: 02/13/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1924-1925) Bill TextA concurrent resolution providing that any agreement relating to trade and investment that is negotiated by the executive branch with another country comply with certain minimum standards. 2/13/2007--Introduced. Urges that any trade and investment agreement that is negotiated by the executive branch with foreign countries should comply with: (1) specified requirements applying to all countries; (2) specified requirements applying to only the United States; and (3) provisions providing special treatment for developing countries.
Also tagged in: Auditing, Authorization, Awards, medals, prizes, Budgets, Building construction, Business, Commemorations, Congressional reporting requirements, Curricula, Department of Commerce, Economic policy, Education, Employee training, Engineering, Executive departments, Executive reorganization, Federal advisory bodies, Federal aid to education, Federal aid to research, Finance, Government and business, Graduate education, Higher education, Industrial engineering, Industrial production, Industrial research, Industrial standards, Infrastructure, Intellectual property, International competitiveness, International finance, Job training, Laboratories, Manufacturing industries, Materials, Performance measurement, Policy sciences, Politics and government, Presidential commissions, Presidents, Public-private partnerships, Quality control, Research and development, Research and development facilities, Research centers, Research grants, Scholarships, Science policy, Scientific education, Small business, Standards, Strategic planning, Surveys, Technical education, Technological innovations, Technology, Technology transfer, Trade
Latest Action: 01/31/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation. Bill TextTo establish an interagency committee to coordinate Federal manufacturing research and development efforts in manufacturing, strengthen existing programs to assist manufacturing innovation and education, and expand outreach programs for small and medium-sized manufacturers, and for other purposes. 1/5/2007--Introduced. Manufacturing Technology Competitiveness Act of 2007 - Directs the President to establish or designate an Interagency Committee to plan and coordinate Federal efforts in manufacturing research and development, with an Advisory Committee from the non-Federal sector. Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (NIST Act) to establish: (1) a pilot program of collaborative manufacturing research grants; (2) manufacturing sciences research fellowships; (3) manufacturing extension center competitive grants; and (4) standards education grants to develop higher education curricula on the role of standards in engineering, business, science,[...] show full description
Also tagged in: Business, Competition, Congress, Congressional reporting requirements, Criminal investigation, Criminal justice, Drug industry, Generic drugs, Governmental investigations, Intellectual property, Marketing, Medical care, Medicine, Patent infringement, Pharmaceutical research, Restrictive trade practices, Science policy
Latest Action: 03/07/2007 - Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. Hearings held. Bill TextA bill to prohibit brand name drug companies from compensating generic drug companies to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market. 2/27/2007--Reported to Senate without amendment. (There is 1 other summary) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act - Amends the Clayton Act to make it unlawful for a person, in connection with the sale of a drug product, to be a party to any agreement resolving or settling a patent infringement claim in which: (1) an abbreviated new drug (generic) application filer receives anything of value; and (2) such filer agrees not to research, develop, manufacture, market, or sell the generic product for any period. Excludes a resolution or settlement that includes no more than the right to market the generic product prior to the expiration of the patent. Amends the Medicare [...] show full description
Latest Action: 02/01/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1530) Bill TextA bill to amend the Antitrust Modernization Commission Act of 2002, to extend the term of the Antitrust Modernization Commission and to make a technical correction. 2/1/2007--Introduced. Antitrust Modernization Commission Extension Act of 2007 - Amends the Antitrust Modernization Commission Act of 2002 to extend the termination date of the Antitrust Modernization Commission to 60 (currently, 30) days after the Commission's report to the President and Congress.
Also tagged in: Business, Department of Justice, Executive departments, Federal Trade Commission, Finance, Independent regulatory commissions, Insurance, Insurance companies, Jurisdiction, Law, Restrictive trade practices
Latest Action: 03/07/2007 - Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Bill TextA bill to further competition in the insurance industry. 2/15/2007--Introduced. Insurance Industry Competition Act of 2007 - Amends the McCarran-Ferguson Act to make the Federal Trade Commission Act, as it relates to areas other than unfair methods of competition, applicable to the business of insurance to the extent that such business is not regulated by state law. Authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to issue joint statements of their antitrust enforcement policies regarding joint activities in the business of insurance.
Latest Action: 02/26/2007 - Signed by President. Bill TextTo amend the Antitrust Modernization Commission Act of 2002, to extend the term of the Antitrust Modernization Commission and to make a technical correction. 2/26/2007--Public Law. (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Antitrust Modernization Commission Extension Act of 2007 - Amends the Antitrust Modernization Commission Act of 2002 to extend the termination date of the Antitrust Modernization Commission to 60 (currently, 30) days after the Commission's report to the President and Congress.
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Latest Legislation - View All
Latest Action: 06/05/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5208-5210) Bill TextA bill to amend the antitrust laws to ensure competitive market-based fees and terms for merchants' access to electronic payment systems. 6/5/2008--Introduced. Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008 - Authorizes providers of a single covered electronic payment system (e.g., Visa or Mastercharge credit cards) and any merchants to jointly negotiate and agree upon the fees and terms for access to such a system. Defines covered electronic payment system as any system that has been used for at least 20% of the combined dollar value of credit and debit card payments processed in the most recent year. Grants limited antitrust immunity to such providers and merchants, as well as to those providers who jointly determine among themselves the proportionate division of paid access fees.Sets forth procedures to determine fees and terms for access to a covered electronic payment system. Creates a panel of three full-time Electronic Payment System Judges, appointed [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Business, Cartels, Commodity exchanges, Department of Justice, Energy, Energy prices, Executive departments, Executive reorganization, Finance, Futures trading, Gasoline, Petroleum industry, Price discrimination, Restrictive trade practices
Latest Action: 06/04/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5042-5043) Bill TextA bill to establish a Petroleum Industry Antitrust Task Force within the Department of Justice. 6/4/2008--Introduced. Directs the Attorney General to establish a Petroleum Industry Antitrust Task Force in the Department of Justice (DOJ) to examine all issues relating to the application of federal antitrust laws to the petroleum markets, including the existence and effects of: (1) price gouging in the sales of gasoline; (2) international oil cartels; (3) collusive behavior in restricting petroleum production; (4) anticompetitive price discrimination; and (5) anticompetitive manipulation in futures markets or other trading exchanges relating to petroleum.
Also tagged in: Actions and defenses, Air pollution, Alcohol as fuel, Alternative energy sources, Armed forces, Biomass energy, Budgets, Business, Cartels, Climate change, Congress, Congressional oversight, Congressional reporting requirements, Criminal justice, Defense economics, Derivative securities, Disaster relief, Emergency management, Energy, Energy prices, Energy security, Energy supplies, Environmental protection, Excess profits tax, Finance, Fines (Penalties), Foreign policy, Foreign tax credit, Futures trading, Gasoline, Government information, Government liability (International law), Government procurement, Government publicity, Government trust funds, Governmental investigations, Greenhouse gases, Income tax, International affairs, Iraq compilation, Law, Losses, Margins (Security trading), Natural gas, Oil and gas royalties, Parties to actions, Petroleum industry, Petroleum reserves, Price fixing, Profit, Public contracts, Restrictive trade practices, Strategic materials, Tax credits, Tax deductions, Taxation of foreign income, Telecommunication, Telephone, Trade
Latest Action: 06/11/2008 - Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S5472-5517) Bill TextA bill to provide energy price relief and hold oil companies and other entities accountable for their actions with regard to high energy prices, and for other purposes. 5/20/2008--Introduced. Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) deny major integrated oil companies (i.e., companies producing at least 500,000 barrels of crude oil daily) a tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production of oil, gas, or primary products thereof; (2) conform tax treatment of foreign oil and gas extraction income and foreign oil related income for purposes of the foreign tax credit; (3) impose a windfall profits tax on major integrated oil companies; and (4) establish an Energy Independence and Security Trust Fund funded by revenues raised by the tax provisions of this Act to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign and unsustainable energy sources and reduce the risks of global warming. Petroleum Consumer Price Gouging Protection Act - Declares [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Actions and defenses, Business, Cartels, Competition, Congress, Congressional investigations, Congressional reporting requirements, Consent decrees, Corporate mergers, Criminal justice, Department of Justice, District courts, Energy, Energy prices, Energy supplies, Executive departments, Executive reorganization, Foreign policy, Government liability (International law), International affairs, Jurisdiction, Law, Natural gas prices, OPEC countries, Petroleum industry, Privileges and immunities, Restrictive trade practices, Trade
Latest Action: 05/21/2008 - Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 744. Bill TextTo amend the Sherman Act to make oil-producing and exporting cartels illegal and for other purposes. 5/20/2008--Passed House without amendment. (There is 1 other summary) (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Gas Price Relief for Consumers Act of 2008 - Title I: Amendment to Sherman Act - No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act of 2008 or NOPEC - (Sec. 102) Amends the Sherman Act to make it illegal for any foreign state or instrumentality thereof to act collectively or in combination with any other foreign state or any other person, when such action has a direct, substantial, and reasonably foreseeable effect on the market, supply, price, or distribution of petroleum in the United States, to: (1) limit the production or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any other petroleum product (petroleum); (2) set or maintain the price of petroleum;[...] show full description
Also tagged in: Actions and defenses, Air pollution, Alcohol as fuel, Alternative energy sources, Armed forces, Biomass energy, Budgets, Business, Cartels, Climate change, Congress, Congressional oversight, Congressional reporting requirements, Criminal justice, Defense economics, Derivative securities, Disaster relief, Emergency management, Energy, Energy prices, Energy security, Energy supplies, Environmental protection, Excess profits tax, Finance, Fines (Penalties), Foreign policy, Foreign tax credit, Futures trading, Gasoline, Government information, Government liability (International law), Government procurement, Government publicity, Government trust funds, Governmental investigations, Greenhouse gases, Income tax, International affairs, Iraq compilation, Law, Losses, Margins (Security trading), Natural gas, Oil and gas royalties, Parties to actions, Petroleum industry, Petroleum refineries, Petroleum reserves, Price fixing, Profit, Public contracts, Restrictive trade practices, Strategic materials, Tax credits, Tax deductions, Taxation of foreign income, Telecommunication, Telephone, Trade
Latest Action: 05/12/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3988-3989) Bill TextA bill to provide energy price relief and hold oil companies and other entities accountable for their actions with regard to high energy prices, and for other purposes. 5/7/2008--Introduced. Consumer-First Energy Act of 2008 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) deny major integrated oil companies (i.e., companies producing at least 500,000 barrels of crude oil daily) a tax deduction for income attributable to domestic production of oil, gas, or primary products thereof; (2) conform tax treatment of foreign oil and gas extraction income and foreign oil related income for purposes of the foreign tax credit; (3) impose a windfall profits tax on major integrated oil companies; and (4) establish an Energy Independence and Security Trust Fund funded by revenues raised by the tax provisions of this Act to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign and unsustainable energy sources and reduce the risks of global warming. Petroleum Consumer Price Gouging Protection Act - Declares [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Actions and defenses, Administrative law judges, Administrative procedure, Alcoholic beverages, Authorization, Banks and banking, Budgets, Business, Consumer protection, Consumers, Economic policy, Economists, Executive departments, Federal preemption, Federal Trade Commission, Finance, Food, Governmental investigations, Housing, Independent regulatory commissions, Judicial review, Law, Mortgage interest rates, Mortgages, Nonprofit organizations, Restrictive trade practices, Savings and loan associations, Social services, State and local government, State laws, Telemarketing
Latest Action: 04/08/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2754) Bill TextA bill to reauthorize the Federal Trade Commission, and for other purposes. 4/8/2008--Introduced. Federal Trade Commission Reauthorization Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to authorize appropriations to carry out the powers and duties of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and to improve technology regarding the FTC's competition and consumer protection missions. Authorizes the FTC to directly handle civil actions under the Act or to request the Attorney General do so. Allows the FTC to give appointment preference to administrative judges with antitrust or trade regulation litigation and related economic analysis experience. Permits the FTC to commence a civil action to recover civil penalties in a district court for any violation of the Act. Permits the FTC to enforce the Act against nonprofit organizations. Authorizes the FTC to operate under general federal law rulemaking and judicial review provisions instead of under [...] show full description
Latest Action: 10/03/2008 - Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 110-913. Bill TextTo amend the antitrust laws to ensure competitive market-based rates and terms for merchants' access to electronic payment systems. 3/6/2008--Introduced. Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008 - Authorizes providers of a single covered electronic payment system (e.g. Visa or Mastercharge credit cards) and any merchants to jointly negotiate and agree upon rates and terms for access to such a system. Defines covered electronic payment system as any system that has been used for at least 20% of the combined dollar value of U.S. credit, signature-based debit, and PIN-based debit card payments processed in the applicable base year. Grants limited antitrust immunity to such providers and merchants, as well as to those providers who jointly determine among themselves the proportionate division of paid access fees. Sets forth procedures to determine rates and terms for access to a covered electronic payment system. Prohibits any other rates and terms from being [...] show full description
Also tagged in: Administrative procedure, Advertising, Agricultural wastes, Agriculture, Air pollution, Alcohol as fuel, Alternative energy sources, Biomass energy, Business, Diesel motor, Energy, Energy crops, Environmental protection, Environmental Protection Agency, Excise tax, Executive departments, Franchises (Retail trade), Income tax, Law, Motor vehicle pollution control, Oils and fats, Reformulated gasoline, Refuse as fuel, Restrictive trade practices, Service stations, Solid wastes, Tax credits, Taxation, Transportation
Latest Action: 12/06/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality. Bill TextTo amend the Clean Air Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the use of ethanol and bio-diesel, and for other purposes. 12/6/2007--Introduced. Amends the Clean Air Act to revise the term "renewable fuel" to mean ethanol produced from renewable biomass. Increases the volume of renewable fuel that must be contained in fuel sold in the United States for 2009-2012. Prescribes the volume of: (1) renewable fuel that must be contained in fuel sold in the United States for 2013-2022; and (2) biomass-based diesel that must be contained in fuel sold in the United States for 2008-2012. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the volume of renewable fuel and biomass-based diesel that fuel sold in the United States must contain for other calendar years.Requires the Secretary of Energy to ensure that by 2009 each covered owner installs one or more pumps that dispense ethanol-blend fuel and bio-diesel blend fuel [...] show full description
Latest Action: 10/30/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13582-13583) Bill TextA bill to restore the rule that agreements between manufacturers and retailers, distributors, or wholesalers to set the minimum price below which the manufacturer's product or service cannot be sold violates the Sherman Act. 10/30/2007--Introduced. Discount Pricing Consumer Protection Act - Amends the Sherman Act to declare that any contract, combination, conspiracy, or agreement setting a minimum price below which a product or service cannot be sold by a retailer, wholesaler, or distributor violates the Act.
Also tagged in: Business, Consumers, Contracts, Employee health benefits, Finance, Health insurance, Health maintenance organizations, Health policy, Labor, Law, Managed care, Medical care, Medicine, Pharmacies, Prescription pricing, Restrictive trade practices
Latest Action: 10/15/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Bill TextA bill to ensure and foster continued patient safety and quality of care by making the antitrust laws apply to negotiations between groups of independent pharmacies and health plans and health insurance issuers (including health plans under parts C and D of the Medicare Program) in the same manner as such laws apply to protected activities under the National Labor Relations Act. 10/15/2007--Introduced. Community Pharmacy Fairness Act of 2007 - Entitles independent pharmacies negotiating contract terms with a health plan for the provision of health care items or services to the same treatment under the antitrust laws as the treatment to which bargaining units recognized under the National Labor Relations Act are entitled. Treats such a pharmacy as an employee engaged in concerted activities in connection with such negotiations. Exempts actions taken in good faith reliance on this Act from being subject to criminal sanctions or civil penalties beyond actual damages incurred.[...] show full description
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