In a letter to FTC Chairman Joe Simons, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown, Tammy Baldwin, and Christopher Murphy urged the FTC to use its full authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act to enforce its "Made in USA" standards.
Reacting to recent FTC "Made in USA" settlements that didn't involve an admission of fault or money damages, the Senators wrote, "We do not believe 'no-fault, no-money' settlements adequately penalize companies that have taken advantage of American consumers, nor do they adequately deter other companies from committing future violations."
Pushing for tougher action, the Senators also wrote, "If the consequences of misusing the "Made in the USA" label do not include paying fines or admitting wrongdoing, it is unlikely that bad actors will be deterred from using the same deceptive tactics to sell their products in the future."
The Senators are echoing concerns previously raised by Commissioner Rohit Chopra in connection with the recent "no fault, no money" settlements.
"Lackluster enforcement creates an atmosphere in which consumers are misled and domestic producers are at a disadvantage"
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