Legal Resources - Statutes Relating to Both Missions

Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 41-58, as amended)
Under this Act, the Commission is empowered, among other things, to (a) prevent unfair methods of competition, and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce; (b) seek monetary redress and other relief for conduct injurious to consumers; (c) prescribe trade regulation rules defining with specificity acts or practices that are unfair or deceptive, and establishing requirements designed to prevent such acts or practices; (d) conduct investigations relating to the organization, business, practices, and management of entities engaged in commerce; and (e) make reports and legislative recommendations to Congress.

Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 6201-6422, as amended)
This Act (a) directs the Commission and the Justice Department to: participate in developing, implementing, and monitoring voluntary agreements and plans established by oil companies to deal with emergency international oil shortages (Section 252, 42 U.S.C. § 6272);(1) (b) requires the Commission to issue regulations providing that certain household appliances must bear labels showing the products' "energy efficiency ratings" (Section 324, 42 U.S.C. § 6294); (c) vests the Commission under 15 U.S.C. § 2008 with authority to recommend that penalties assessed by the Department of Transportation against automobile manufacturers for violating average fuel economy standards be reduced if payment would result in decreased competition in the automobile industry (Section 301, amending the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq.); and (d) gives the Commission certain duties with respect to labeling of recycled oil (Section 383, 42 U.S.C. § 6363).

Lanham Trade-Mark Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 1051-1127, as amended)
Section 14 of this Act (15 U.S.C. § 1064) authorizes the Commission, under certain specified conditions, to apply to the Patent and Trademark Office for the cancellation of registered trade-marks.

Packers and Stockyards Act (7 U.S.C. §§ 181-229, as amended)
Section 406 of this Act (7 U.S.C. § 227) extends the Commission's jurisdiction to cover such activities of meat packers as are not related to the sale of livestock, meat products, and the like; transactions in oleomargarine; and retail sales of meat and related products. Other matters involving meat and related products are subject to the Commission's jurisdiction if the Secretary of Agriculture so requests or, in certain circumstances, where action by the Commission is necessary to exercise effective jurisdiction over retail sales of such products. This statute was amended by the Poultry Producers Financial Protection Act of 1987 (Pub. L. No. 100-173, § 7, 101 Stat. 917) to vest the Commission with similar authority over poultry product transactions.

Muhammed Ali Boxing Reform Act (codified to 15 U.S.C. §§ 6301-6313)
This Act, amending the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996, specifies that a sanctioning organization may not receive any compensation from a boxing match unless it files its bylaws and a complete description of its ratings criteria, policies, and general sanctioning fee schedule with the FTC. The Act further directs the FTC to make this information available to the public. A sanctioning organization does not have to submit this information to the FTC, however, if it makes the information accessible through a public website.

Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 7601-7610)
This Act provides for the availability of contact lens prescriptions to patients and authorizes the FTC to prescribe rules to implement the Act (codified at 16 C.F.R. Part 315). The Act also requires the FTC to study the strength of competition in the sale of prescription contact lenses and to report its findings to Congress.

U.S. Safe Web Act (Pub. L. No. 109-455, codified to the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § § 41 et seq.)
This Act provides the FTC with a number of tools to improve enforcement regarding fraudulent spam, spyware, misleading advertising, privacy and security breaches, and other consumer protection matters, particularly those with an international dimension. Among other things, the Act allows increased cooperation with foreign law enforcement authorities through confidential information sharing, provision of investigative assistance, and enhanced staff exchanges. In certain limited circumstances it enables the FTC to obtain information in domestic or foreign consumer protection matters from third parties without tipping off investigative targets.

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. No. 109-58)
Under this Act, the Commission is required to: (a) issue additional regulations concerning the energy efficiency labeling of certain household appliances (Section 137, amending Section 324(a) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act); (b) submit to Congress an annual market concentration analysis of the ethanol production industry to determine whether there is sufficient competition among industry participants to avoid anticompetitive behavior (Section 1501); and (c) conduct an investigation to determine if the price of gasoline is being artificially manipulated and to report its findings to Congress (Section 1809). The Act also authorizes the Commission to issue rules on “slamming” and “cramming” to protect the privacy of electricity consumers (Section 1287), and establishes FTC membership on an interagency task force, which must issue a report to Congress on competition within the wholesale and retail market for electric energy in the United States (Section 1815).

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Pub. L. No. 110-140; 121 Stat. 1492)
Section 811 of this Act prohibits any manipulative or deceptive device or contrivance in connection with the wholesale purchase or sale of crude oil, gasoline, or other petroleum distillate in contravention of rules or regulations the Commission may prescribe. Section 205 of the Act requires the Commission to issue rules for the labeling of biodiesel or biodiesel blend fuel sold at retail. Title III of the Act amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (see Statutes - Both Missions), providing for Commission rulemaking in specified circumstances regarding energy efficiency labeling for certain heating and cooling equipment, lamps and lighting, consumer electronic products, and other consumer products as appropriate.

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Sections 3012 and 4001 (Pub. L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119, codified in relevant part at 42 U.S.C. § 280j note and 42 U.S.C. § 300u-10)
This Act to reform health care provides for the FTC to participate in the Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality and the National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council, both established under the Act.