Transparency in Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Frank Pallone for his support and leadership. Gus Bilirakis and I have been working for over 2 years now on this piece of legislation that is going to bring such delight and security for artists and for consumers who really want to benefit from being able to get the wonderful products that they can put their money into so that they can have their families enjoy so many events.

We know that there have been hidden fees. These companies say that this is how much it is going to cost you to be able to go to an event, to be able to go to a concert. You think, and the people who are trying to buy these tickets think, that these are going to be the fees that they are going to have to pay. Sure enough, by the time the product is ready to be paid for, often it can go as much as 40 percent higher. That is really cheating the people who are spending their money.

We know that with passage of the TICKET Act that consumers will be paying only the amount that they believe they are paying the first time. That is the money that you are going to pay, no more.

It is about time that the scammers who are going and raising the price of these events are now going to not be able to do that. People are going to get exactly what they had asked for, what they had paid for.

The passage of the TICKET Act is really a happy event. We need to pass this legislation. I know that lots and lots of people and people who are artists are going to really do better. I look forward to finally, after a couple of years, passing this bill. This bill passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly in the last Congress.

It is time for us to get this done. I thank Gus for his bipartisanship. It has been a pleasure to work with him.

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