Summary of HR 6830 (116th Congress placeholder reference)
Note: The following summary is based on the bill’s title and introductory actions. The full text may include additional provisions that could alter the bill’s scope and effect.
Overview
- Bill number and title: HR 6830 — “To amend the Clayton Act to permit a State attorney general to bring a civil action for damages as parens patriae for injuries sustained by reason of price discrimination in violation of the Robinson-Patman Act amendments to the Clayton Act, and for other purposes.”
- Introduced: December 17, 2025
- Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary; introduced in the House
Purpose and intent
- The bill seeks to expand the enforcement authority of state attorneys general by allowing them to bring civil actions for damages on behalf of residents (parens patriae) arising from price discrimination that violates the Robinson-Patman Act (as amended in relation to the Clayton Act).
- In essence, it creates a pathway for states to seek damages for individuals harmed by price discrimination practices, rather than limiting actions to private plaintiffs or federal enforcement alone.
Key provisions (as indicated by title and summary)
- Amendment to the Clayton Act: Modify existing antitrust framework to authorize state AGs to sue for damages in cases involving price discrimination that contravenes the Robinson-Patman Act provisions.
- Parens patriae authority: Formalize state-initiated civil actions to recover damages for residents injured by discriminatory pricing practices.
- Scope of “other purposes”: The phrase “and for other purposes” suggests potential additional related reforms or clarifications ancillary to the main price-discrimination enforcement expansion.
Note: The precise statutory language, thresholds, remedies (damages, civil penalties, attorney’s fees), and procedural rules would be detailed in the bill’s text and any accompanying committee reports.
Who would be affected
- State attorneys general: New or enhanced authority to file civil actions for damages in price-discrimination cases.
- Residents of states harmed by discriminatory pricing (the beneficiaries of parens patriae actions).
- Businesses engaging in price discrimination practices that violate the Robinson-Patman Act as amended by the bill.
- Federal-state enforcement dynamics: The change could influence how Robinson-Patman Act violations are pursued alongside existing federal and private actions.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- Committee referral: House Committee on the Judiciary (Dec 17, 2025).
- Next steps (if advanced): Potential floor consideration by the House, possible Senate action, and any required conference if Congress enacts different versions.
Potential impact and considerations
- Enforcement enhancements: Could increase deterrence and remedies for price-discrimination harms by leveraging state resource programs and consumer protection frameworks.
- Federalism and preemption questions: The expansion of state-level damages actions in federal-inflected antitrust enforcement might raise questions about parallel rights and conflicts with existing federal statutory schemes.
- Implementation details needed: The bill’s final text would clarify damages limits, statute of limitations, qui tpro quo considerations, and coordination with existing private rights of action under the Clayton/Robinson-Patman regimes.
If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to focus on specific stakeholders (business groups, consumer advocates, state AGs) or compare it to current Robinson-Patman/Clayton Act enforcement.
