Rep. Craig Leads Legislation to Prevent Companies from Using Tariffs as Cover for Price Gouging Consumers

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig introduced legislation with Reps. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) to prohibit companies from using President Trump’s reckless tariffs as cover for price gouging consumers.

The No GOUGE Act would create a ban on selling a tariffed good at an unreasonably high price during the five-year period following the announcement or implementation of a tariff or tariff rate change. “Unreasonably high price” is defined as a price increase greater than the costs directly generated by the tariff. The ban would be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the legislation would enable state Attorneys General to sue business that violate the ban in state or district court.

Rep. Craig’s legislation includes an exemption for small businesses earning less than $100 million annually in gross revenue.

“Minnesotans are already struggling with the sky-high cost of living, so while the President launches us headfirst into a global trade war, we have to work proactively to put guardrails in place that protect consumers from exorbitant price-hikes,” said Rep. Craig. “I’m proud to be introducing this legislation alongside my colleagues to prevent large companies from taking advantage of the Administration’s reckless trade policies to price gouge Minnesotans.”

Rep. Craig has been outspoken about the impacts of tariffs on small business owners, family farmers and everyday Minnesotans. As the top Democrat on the House Committee on Agriculture, Rep. Craig has publicly opposed imposing tariffs on our country’s biggest trading partners and engaging in a global trade war, citing the potential for increased prices for producers and consumers alike.

The legislation is endorsed by the AFL-CIO, United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, commonly known as the United Steelworkers (USW), International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), American Economic Liberties Project and Groundwork Collaborative.

###