Acting FTC chair turns to Congress after Supreme Court ruling

Acting Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Rebecca Kelly Slaughter on Tuesday called for Congress to pass legislation that would revive the agency’s ability to return money to constituents harmed by companies found to engage in deceptive practices.

Slaughter testified before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on consumer protection and commerce roughly a week after the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the FTC’s authority under a provision known as Section 13(b) does not grant the agency the ability to obtain equitable monetary relief.

“These recent decisions have significantly limited the Commission’s primary and most effective tool for providing refunds to harmed consumers, and, if Congress does not act promptly, the FTC will be far less effective in its ability to protect consumers and execute its law enforcement mission,” Slaughter testified.