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HR8214119th CongressWALLET

W.A.R. Act Wartime Anti-Profiteering and Relief Act

Sponsored By: Representative Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20]

Introduced

Summary

targeted, temporary relief for middle-income households. The W.A.R. Act would create a refundable war inflation credit to offset higher commuting, grocery, and utility costs during a U.S.-Israel-Iran war energy emergency and would set federal price-gouging rules for energy and essential goods.

Show full summary
  • Middle-income households would get a refundable "war inflation credit" aimed at offsetting average increases in commuting, groceries, and utilities. The credit would phase out by income, exclude nonresident aliens, and stack with other credits subject to anti-duplication rules.
  • Consumers would gain protections against "grossly excessive" price hikes for motor fuel, home heating fuels, electricity, and essential staples. The Federal Trade Commission would study and help set standards while the Department of Justice would handle enforcement and penalties.
  • States would keep their price-gouging powers while federal agencies would get rulemaking and enforcement roles during the emergency. All authorities and programs would end when active hostilities stop and prices return to normal, with public notices for phase-outs.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Ban on wartime price gouging

If enacted, sellers could not charge grossly excessive prices for motor fuel, home heating fuels, electricity, or essential consumer staples during the designated war energy emergency. A price would be unlawful if it is a large increase over the 60‑day pre‑enactment average and not largely due to added or anticipated costs (including conflict costs). The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the ban with its full FTC Act powers and could write rules to define "grossly excessive." The Attorney General could bring civil cases for injunctions, penalties, and restitution. The FTC would also study how State and local price‑gouging laws worked and report to Congress within 18 months of enactment.

Refundable wartime credit for middle incomes

If enacted, you would be able to claim a refundable "war inflation" tax credit for each tax year during the designated war energy emergency. The credit would be for households with household income between $80,000 and $160,000. The Treasury Secretary would set the credit amount to reasonably offset higher commuting, grocery, and utility costs and could consider family size and region. Joint filers are ineligible if either spouse is a nonresident alien. The credit would be refundable, allowed alongside other credits subject to coordination rules, and would phase out and end once the emergency ends under specified presidential and Secretary certifications.

Emergency end and enforcement rules

If enacted, all authorities and programs under the bill would terminate when the designated war energy emergency period ends. Investigations, enforcement actions, and court proceedings started before that end date could continue. Civil or criminal liability for violations that happened before termination would still be enforceable until satisfied. The bill would not be read to limit the Defense Production Act or existing FTC or State price‑gouging authorities.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20]

FL • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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