A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
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
The Transportation Fuel Market Transparency Act aims to ensure competitive and transparent fuel markets to protect consumers from price increases. It expands the scope of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to include various types of transportation fuel like gasoline, jet fuel, and biofuels. The bill mandates the creation of a new Transportation Fuel Monitoring and Enforcement Unit within the Federal Trade Commission. This unit is tasked with monitoring market data to identify manipulation, false information, or unfair competition. Additionally, the Act requires the Administrator to conduct surveys of energy companies to collect detailed market information. These measures are designed to increase oversight and facilitate enforcement against those violating market rules.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +6
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill establishes a new FTC unit to monitor market manipulation and false information to protect consumers from unwarranted price increases.
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires the Administrator to make detailed market analyses publicly available in a machine-readable format.
- Scored +3
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Increased market transparency and enforcement against price manipulation may help prevent sudden increases in fuel costs.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Consumer Protection from Price Increases: The bill seeks to protect the public interest by identifying market manipulation, the use of market power to disadvantage consumers, or other unfair competition (Section 3(a)(2)(A)).
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Increased Market Transparency: The establishment of a new unit to continuously collect, monitor, and analyze market data aims to support transparent and competitive market practices (Section 3(a)(2)(A)).
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Enhanced Oversight of Fuel Markets: By requiring the collection of data on refinery output, capacity, inventory levels, and imports/exports, the bill aims to provide a clearer picture of the fuel market (Section 3(a)(2)(B)(v)).
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Public Access to Market Analysis: The Administrator is tasked with making analyses of collected data publicly available in a form that is easily adaptable for public use (Section 4(a)(6)(A)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Penalties for Violators: The bill increases the civil penalty amount from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 (Section 2(d)(1)).
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New Reporting Burdens on Companies: While the Administrator is told to minimize burdens, the bill still requires energy companies to participate in detailed surveys regarding their quantities of fuel, sales, and market price data (Section 4(a)(3) and (4)).
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.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Increased market transparency and enforcement against price manipulation may help prevent sudden increases in fuel costs. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill seeks to protect consumers from unfair market practices that drive up the cost of essential transportation fuels.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill establishes a new FTC unit to monitor market manipulation and false information to protect consumers from unwarranted price increases.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Administrator to make detailed market analyses publicly available in a machine-readable format.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Is this likely to lower the price at the pump? — The bill aims to prevent market manipulation and unfair competition to protect consumers from unwarranted fuel price increases.
- 4/30/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon