What This Bill Does
This bill requires online retailers to tell customers where products are made. Any person operating a website or mobile app that sells products at retail must clearly display the country where each product was manufactured or finally assembled.
Who It Affects
- People who operate internet websites or mobile applications that sell products at retail
- Customers shopping on those websites and apps
- The Federal Trade Commission (a federal agency that enforces consumer protection laws)
Key Provisions
- Online retailers must disclose the country where products were manufactured or finally assembled in a clear and noticeable way on their website or app (Sec. 2(a))
- This requirement does not apply to individuals who use someone else's website or app to sell products (Sec. 2(b))
- Violations of this requirement are treated as unfair or deceptive business practices that the Federal Trade Commission can enforce (Sec. 3(a) and 3(b))
What Changes
If this becomes law, retailers selling products through websites or mobile apps must add country of origin information to their online listings. Customers will see where products are made before they buy. Violations can be punished by the Federal Trade Commission using the same penalties it uses for other consumer protection violations.
Important Definitions
- Country of origin: the country in which a product was manufactured or finally assembled (Sec. 2(a))
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 217
To require retailers who offer products for purchase through an internet
website or a mobile application to disclose on such website or application
the country of origin for each product offered for sale.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 9, 2023
Mr. VAN DREW (for himself and Mr. SHERMAN) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To require retailers who offer products for purchase through
an internet website or a mobile application to disclose
on such website or application the country of origin
for each product offered for sale.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Country of Origin La-
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beling Requirement Act’’.
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•HR 217 IH
SEC. 2. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS
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FOR PRODUCTS SOLD ON RETAIL WEBSITES
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AND MOBILE APPLICATIONS.
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(a) DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT.—Any person that
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operates an internet website or a mobile application and
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that sells or offers for sale, at retail, any product through
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such website or application, shall disclose on such website
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or application, in a clear and conspicuous manner, the
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country in which such product was manufactured or fi-
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nally assembled.
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(b) EXCLUSION.—The requirements in subsection (a)
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shall not be construed to apply to any individual who uses
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an internet website or a mobile application operated by
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another person to sell or offer for sale any product.
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SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT BY THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMIS-
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SION.
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(a) UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRACTICES.—
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A violation of section 2(a) shall be treated as a violation
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of a regulation under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal
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Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) regard-
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ing unfair or deceptive acts or practices.
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(b) POWERS
OF
THE COMMISSION.—The Federal
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Trade Commission shall enforce section 2(a) in the same
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manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdic-
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tion, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and
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provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15
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•HR 217 IH
U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part
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of this Act. Any person who violates such section shall be
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subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and
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immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission
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Act.
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(c) EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in this Act
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shall be construed in any way to limit or affect the author-
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ity of the Federal Trade Commission under any other pro-
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vision of law.
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Æ
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