WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has once again thrown his support behind a legislative effort aimed at curbing corporate profiteering in times of economic disruption. Last week, Fetterman co-sponsored the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025, a sweeping proposal that seeks to empower federal and state regulators to investigate and prosecute companies accused of exploiting market instability to justify unjustified price increases.
Led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the bill targets large corporations that, according to its backers, have used everything from inflation to erratic trade policies—such as former President Donald Trump’s tariff decisions—to mask opportunistic price hikes. The legislation positions itself as a federal solution to what many lawmakers and advocacy groups argue is a systemic abuse of consumer trust.
“Trump’s chaotic tariff policies handed large companies a free pass to jack up prices on the goods and services we rely on every day,” said Fetterman, characterizing the former president’s trade decisions as a gateway for corporate exploitation. “The Price Gouging Prevention Act gives regulators the teeth to shut this down. It forces big companies to be honest about why they’re raising prices, and it’ll bring relief at the grocery store and the pump to families across the Commonwealth.”
The bill, also sponsored in the House by Representative Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and others, would formally classify price gouging as a deceptive practice under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act. It establishes federal authority to investigate and penalize “grossly excessive” pricing practices, particularly during periods of market shock, such as abrupt trade policy changes.
Provisions include:
- A nationwide prohibition on price gouging, with enforcement authority granted to the FTC and state attorneys general.
- Criteria for identifying presumptive violations during events such as significant shifts in trade policy.
- Legal protections for small businesses earning under $100 million, allowing them to raise prices in good faith during crises.
- Mandatory transparency for public companies, requiring detailed cost and pricing disclosures in SEC filings during economic disruptions.
- A $1 billion increase in funding to the FTC to support enforcement operations.
The measure is gaining traction among progressive lawmakers who view corporate pricing strategies as a major contributor to the nation’s affordability crisis. Supporters argue that large companies have exploited the inflationary environment and policy uncertainty not simply to preserve margins, but to substantially boost profits while consumers face increased hardship.
Senator Baldwin noted, “Donald Trump claimed he would lower prices – so far, he has done just the opposite and is even opening the door to more price gouging. Our bill will finally crack down on corporate greed.”
Representative Schakowsky (D-IL-9) added, “Greedy corporations are using the economic turmoil the Trump Administration has created to gouge the American people on everything from groceries to consumer goods.”
The bill is endorsed by a wide coalition of labor and consumer advocacy groups, including the AFL-CIO, United Steelworkers, American Economic Liberties Project, and the Consumer Federation of America. These organizations argue that unchecked pricing power among dominant corporations is a central factor behind persistently high costs for essential goods.
“Working families must never be squeezed by corporations using crises as cover to raise prices,” said United Steelworkers President David McCall, while AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler emphasized the bill as a tool to “put some common-sense fairness back in our economy.”
Still, the legislation is not without critics. While not explicitly addressed in the announcement, opponents of similar bills have previously warned that federal price controls and anti-gouging statutes may discourage production, disrupt supply chains, or be used politically to penalize disfavored industries.
Nonetheless, with inflation still a top concern for voters and household budgets strained by high costs for food, fuel, and rent, the political momentum behind consumer protection measures continues to build.
Whether the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025 gains bipartisan traction in a divided Congress remains to be seen. But for lawmakers like Fetterman, the message is clear: corporate pricing behavior, particularly in times of crisis, is no longer off-limits for federal scrutiny.
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