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119-hr-8135119th CongressWALLET

Cost-of-living Emergency Act

Sponsored By: Representative Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would declare a 180-day national cost-of-living emergency and create a coordinated federal effort to analyze, monitor, and try to reduce cost burdens on households for food, housing, utilities, transportation, and medical services.

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It would set up executive leadership and advisory bodies, authorize targeted use of the Defense Production Act to stabilize supplies, and create a bipartisan Congressional Cost-of-Living Commission to produce legislative recommendations.

  • Households: Requires a quarterly State of Household Budgets report tracking purchasing power, real wage growth after housing and health costs, household debt burdens, and regional affordability to inform policy and oversight.
  • Consumers and markets: Creates an emergency enforcement framework and a Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission Joint Task Force to investigate and act on price gouging, price manipulation, supply constraints, and anticompetitive practices during the emergency.
  • Supply and Congress: Allows agencies to use the Defense Production Act to expand domestic production and stabilize prices after evidentiary certification and planning. It also forms a 12-member bipartisan Commission required to hold at least 6 hearings and deliver reports with legislative language for Congress to consider.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Loans for small manufacturers

If enacted, small and medium businesses would be eligible for loans and loan guarantees under sections 301 and 302 of the Defense Production Act to modernize facilities that produce basic household necessities. Support would be available during the 180‑day emergency. The bill does not set exact loan amounts or terms.

Stronger price enforcement and transparency

If enacted, the Attorney General and the FTC Chair would create a Joint Task Force on Consumer Costs to monitor price increases and investigate anticompetitive practices. The Task Force would report within 60 days and then every 90 days, share evidence with state attorneys general, and make a public portal for consumer reports. Also, during the emergency OIRA would require major rules to include a household budget impact statement showing effects on an average U.S. household and regional cost differences; agencies must publish the statement unless national security prevents it.

Government buys to lower prices

If enacted, the President would be able to use Title III of the Defense Production Act to expand U.S. production of basic household necessities during the 180‑day emergency. Agencies would have to make a strategic plan within 15 days and certify in writing that a contract, loan, or purchase will lower retail or wholesale prices within 180 days before signing. The government would also be allowed to make purchase commitments to keep prices steady and pay subsidies to lower domestic raw material costs while the emergency is in effect. The bill does not set exact prices or spending amounts.

Bipartisan Cost of Living Commission

If enacted, Congress would create a bipartisan 12‑member Cost‑of‑Living Commission. Members and two co‑chairs must be appointed within 14 days. The Commission must hold at least six hearings and vote on a final report with findings, recommendations, and draft legislative text not later than 180 days. The Commission must include CBO cost estimates, would be funded equally from the Senate contingent fund and House accounts, and would end 30 days after it files its final report.

White House cost cutting council

If enacted, the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers would set up a White House Cost Cutting Council within 7 days and appoint Special Advisors for groceries, housing, utilities, health care, transportation, and wages. Each advisor would lead weekly task forces, send weekly reports, and hold regional listening sessions at least three times per year. The Council would publish a State of Household Budgets report every three months with median purchasing power, real wages net of housing and health costs, household debt burdens, regional affordability indexes, and inflation of basic necessities. The bill would define 'average U.S. household' as households earning less than prior‑year median income and would define 'basic household necessities' using Bureau of Labor Statistics categories as of January 1, 2026.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]

PA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/14/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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