Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 1402, the TICKET Act. This bipartisan legislation creates a fairer and more transparent event ticketing marketplace. It ends the surprise fees on tickets for concerts and sporting events that understandably frustrate consumers. With this legislation, the price you see when you are shopping for event tickets will be the price that you pay. There will be no hidden fees raising the price at the checkout point.

This bill also prohibits companies from selling tickets they don't have, requires refunds for events that are canceled or postponed more than 6 months into the future, and cracks down on fraudulent ticketing websites.

American consumers need and deserve these commonsense protections.

Yet, these protections are meaningless without strong and consistent enforcement. House Republicans are standing by in silence as the Federal Trade Commission, the agency entrusted with enforcing this bill and several others under consideration this afternoon, is compromised by the Trump administration and the President's illegal political attempt to fire the two Democratic commissioners.

This unlawful decision undermines the legitimacy and transparency of the agency's decisions, sending a message that no commissioner, regardless of party, is safe, and no business that harms consumers should fear accountability, so long as it shows sufficient loyalty to the President.

I urge my Republican colleagues to recognize that restoring the FTC as an independent agency, as this Congress intended, is essential to ensuring this bill and similar efforts to protect consumers are fully effective and enforced without fear or favor.

I thank the wide range of stakeholders who worked on this bill, and particularly the consumer groups for their unwavering support of this bill.

Of course, I particularly want to commend Subcommittee Chair Bilirakis and Ranking Member Schakowsky for their years of hard work on this legislation.

Finally, I need to acknowledge, Mr. Speaker, the contribution of my late colleague and dear friend from New Jersey, Congressman Bill Pascrell. He was a tireless advocate and leader on improving the ticketing experience for consumers.

I am proud to have partnered with him on his longtime efforts that are included in the bill we have before us today. When the TICKET Act was on the floor last year, Bill gave an impassioned speech in support of all-in pricing and the other consumer protections in this bill.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Schakowsky), the Democratic sponsor of this bill, who has worked on this legislation for such a long time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I agree with Mr. Bilirakis. This is important consumer protection, and I am glad to see that our committee and the subcommittee headed by Mr. Bilirakis as chair and Ms. Schakowsky as the ranking member has taken on so many of these consumer issues today and in the future. I ask for support on both sides of the aisle, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source