S. 4351

119 S4351 IS: Energy Consumer Protection Act of 2026
 U.S. Senate
 2026-04-21
 text/xml
 EN
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 II  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. 4351  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   April 21, 2026   Ms. Cortez Masto  (for herself and  Ms. Cantwell ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Energy and Natural Resources    A BILL
To amend the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act with respect to the enforcement of certain provisions, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Energy Consumer Protection Act of 2026  .
2.
Prohibitions and suspensions for violations
(a)
Amendments to the Federal Power Act
(1)
Enforcement of certain provisions
Section 316A of the Federal Power Act ( 16 U.S.C. 825o–1 ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(c)
Prohibition or suspension for violations
The Commission may prohibit, conditionally or unconditionally, permanently or for such period of time as the Commission determines to be appropriate, any person who is engaged or has engaged in practices constituting a violation of section 221 or 222 (and related rules and regulations) from engaging, directly or indirectly, in the business of purchasing or selling—
(1)
electric energy;
(2)
electric energy products, including financial transmission rights; or
(3)
transmission services subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission.
 .
(2)
Conforming amendments
Section 314(d) of the Federal Power Act ( 16 U.S.C. 825m(d) ) is amended—
(A)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—
(i)
by striking  individual  and inserting  person ; and
(ii)
by inserting  or 222  after  section 221 ;
(B)
in paragraph (1), by inserting  with respect to a person who is an individual,  before  acting ; and
(C)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting  , directly or indirectly,  after  engaging ;
(ii)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  ; or  and inserting a semicolon;
(iii)
by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
(iv)
by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
(B)
electric energy products, including financial transmission rights; or
 .
(b)
Amendments to Natural Gas Act
(1)
Prohibition on filing false information
The Natural Gas Act ( 15 U.S.C. 717 et seq. ) is amended by inserting after section 4A the following:
4B.
Prohibition on filing false information
No person shall willfully and knowingly report to a Federal agency or private-sector price-reporting agency, with intent to fraudulently affect the data being compiled by the Federal agency or private-sector price-reporting agency, any information relating to the transportation or sale of natural gas subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission (including information relating to the availability and prices of natural gas sold at wholesale and in interstate commerce and information relating to the operation of facilities for the transportation and sale of natural gas at wholesale and in interstate commerce) that the person knows to be false at the time of the reporting.
 .
(2)
Civil penalty authority
Section 22 of the Natural Gas Act ( 15 U.S.C. 717t–1 ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(d)
Prohibition or suspension for violations
The Commission may prohibit, conditionally or unconditionally, permanently or for such period of time as the Commission determines to be appropriate, any person who is engaged or has engaged in practices constituting a violation of section 4A or 4B (including related rules and regulations) from engaging, directly or indirectly, in the business of purchasing or selling—
(1)
natural gas; or
(2)
transmission services subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission.
 .
(3)
Conforming amendments
Section 20(d) of the Natural Gas Act ( 15 U.S.C. 717s(d) ) is amended—
(A)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking  individual  and inserting  person ;
(B)
in paragraph (1), by inserting  with respect to a person who is an individual,  before  acting ; and
(C)
in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting  , directly or indirectly,  after  engaging .