Skip to main content
HR 5116 114th Congress House Commerce Administrative law and regulatory procedures Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Government information and archives Public participation and lobbying

FREE Act

Introduced: April 28, 2016 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 29, 2016
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
Apr 28, 2016
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Apr 28, 2016
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Freeing Responsible and Effective Exchanges Act or the FREE Act

This bill amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to permit a bipartisan majority of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioners to hold a nonpublic meeting to discuss official business if: (1) no votes or actions are taken, (2) each person at the meeting is an FTC commissioner or employee, and (3) an attorney from the FTC's Office of General Counsel is present.

"Bipartisan majority" means a group of at least three commissioners that includes, for each political party of which any commissioner is a member, at least one commissioner who is a member of such political party and, if any commissioner has no political party affiliation, at least one unaffiliated commissioner.

Within two business days after such a nonpublic meeting, the FTC must disclose on its website: (1) a list of persons who attended such meeting; and (2) a summary of discussed matters, except for matters that are classified or otherwise exempt from disclosure.

What's happening now April 29, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2