COOL Online Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9057
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Commerce
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-08T17:57:58Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation, titled the Country Of Origin Labeling Online Act (COOL Online Act), aims to require clear disclosure of a product's country of origin and the seller's principal place of business on internet websites for certain new foreign-origin products offered for sale in U.S. commerce.
Key Provisions
- Mandatory Disclosure: It is unlawful to sell, advertise, or offer covered products online without indicating the country of origin (or countries for multi-sourced items) and the seller's principal business location in a conspicuous manner, consistent with existing Tariff Act marking rules.
- Exclusions: Requirements do not apply to covered agricultural commodities, inspected meat/poultry/egg products, FDA-regulated food and drugs, used or previously-owned articles, or goods sold by small sellers (annual sales under $20,000 and fewer than 200 discrete sales).
- Drug-Specific Rule: Certain non-prescription drugs must also disclose the manufacturer, packer, or distributor's name and place of business.
- Information Sharing: Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and others must provide origin and seller details to retailers; retailers have a safe harbor if they rely in good faith on third-party information.
- Enforcement: Violations are treated as unfair or deceptive acts under Federal Trade Commission (FTC) authority, with interagency coordination required via a Memorandum of Understanding among the FTC, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Department of Agriculture within six months.
- Liability Protection: Retailers or sellers are not liable if they relied on false third-party information in good faith and promptly correct it.
- Effective Date: The rules take effect 12 months after publication of the interagency agreement.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill extends the country-of-origin marking requirements of Section 304 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1304) to online retail platforms, creating new obligations for internet-based sales that previously focused primarily on physical imports and labeling. It introduces FTC enforcement mechanisms and interagency coordination not previously applied to online origin disclosures, while carving out specific exemptions for agriculture, food, drugs, and small sellers.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases enforcement roles for the FTC, CBP, USDA, and FDA through shared implementation agreements and potential rulemaking.
- Citizens: Provides consumers with additional origin and seller location information when purchasing online, potentially aiding informed purchasing decisions.
- International Relations: May affect importers and foreign manufacturers by imposing disclosure standards on U.S. online sales, with possible implications for cross-border e-commerce compliance.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Online retailers, marketplaces, and sellers.
- Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and private labelers.
- Consumers purchasing foreign-origin goods online.
- Federal agencies including the FTC, CBP, USDA, and FDA.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill preserves existing agency authorities and limits liability for good-faith reliance on third-party data, reducing potential legal exposure for retailers. It does not alter constitutional powers but creates a new regulatory framework for digital commerce that could raise compliance costs for businesses while enhancing transparency in international supply chains.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-28]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-05-29: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Country Of Origin Labeling Online Act — issued 2026-05-29 — PDF (8 pages)