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119-hr-10540119th CongressWALLET

21st Century FTC Act

Sponsored By: Representative Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]

Introduced

Summary

Would give the Federal Trade Commission clearer rulemaking powers and new civil-penalty authority to tackle unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The bill called the "21st Century FTC Act" would rewrite how the agency makes rules and expand when it can seek fines for UDAP violations.

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  • Consumers: Could see faster, clearer agency rules aimed at stopping fraud and deceptive business practices, which may produce new protections or enforcement actions.
  • Businesses and regulated firms: Would face a streamlined rulemaking process and a wider set of violations that can trigger civil penalties, raising compliance and enforcement risk.
  • Courts and agency process: Would narrow judicial review by applying a "substantial-evidence" standard, redefine what counts as rulemaking evidence, and remove some transcript and record requirements, shifting more control over the record to the FTC.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Wider civil penalties for FTC

If enacted, the bill would expand the wording that triggers civil penalties so the FTC could tag violations of the FTC Act itself as penalty violations. That means more company actions could lead to civil fines under section 5(m)(1)(A). This change would take effect upon enactment.

New FTC rulemaking and review

If enacted, the bill would let the Federal Trade Commission use a shorter, streamlined process to make rules about unfair or deceptive practices. It would remove some required transcript and record steps and define "evidence" broadly as any matter in the rulemaking record. Courts would review FTC rules under a "substantial evidence" standard for the rulemaking record taken as a whole. The bill would also change cross-references that affect how courts review FTC actions. These changes would take effect upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]

FL • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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