A Democratic bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 4 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act," aims to strengthen the prohibition on price discrimination within the Clayton Act. It expands the scope of the law by replacing terms like "goods" and "commodities" with "products or services." The legislation also expands the jurisdiction to include activities affecting commerce. It adds new definitions for terms such as "purchase" and "purchaser." Additionally, it establishes new legal presumptions regarding damages for those facing unlawful discrimination.
Yes
- Scored +6
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill expands price discrimination protections to include services and strengthens the legal recourse for businesses facing such discrimination.
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill provides stronger legal presumptions for damages, which aids businesses seeking recourse against unlawful price discrimination.
- Scored +4
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
By expanding the definition of goods to include products or services, the bill broadens the scope of protection against discriminatory pricing.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Expanded Legal Protections: By replacing "goods, wares, or merchandise" and "commodities" with "products or services," the bill extends price discrimination protections to a broader range of economic interactions (Section 2(a)(1)(A)).
-
Increased Accountability: The bill adds language to include persons charged with inducing or receiving discrimination, which expands who can be held responsible for violations (Section 2(a)(1)(B)).
-
Stronger Legal Recourse for Victims: The bill introduces a provision where a plaintiff who proves they were unlawfully discriminated against is conclusively presumed to have sustained injury and damages equal to the amount of the discrimination (Section 2(a)(2)(C)).
-
Ability to Seek Additional Damages: Victims of discrimination may establish additional damages beyond the monetary amount of the discrimination itself if they can show those damages resulted from the act (Section 2(a)(2)(C)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Increased Liability for Certain Individuals: The bill makes it unlawful for any person engaged in commerce or any activity affecting commerce to induce or receive the benefit of a violation of this section (Section 2(a)(1)(F)).
-
Compliance Burdens for Large Entities: For persons with annual retail sales exceeding $100,000,000,000, the law applies even if the person did not knowingly induce or receive the benefit of a violation (Section 2(a)(1)(F)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill expands price discrimination protections to include services and strengthens the legal recourse for businesses facing such discrimination. Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — By expanding the definition of goods to include products or services, the bill broadens the scope of protection against discriminatory pricing.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill provides stronger legal presumptions for damages, which aids businesses seeking recourse against unlawful price discrimination.
- 3/19/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont