Emergency Price Control Act of 1942

E45288

The Emergency Price Control Act of 1942 was a World War II-era U.S. law that authorized federal controls over prices and rents to curb inflation and stabilize the economy during wartime.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal statute
wartime economic control law
aimedAt maintaining civilian access to essential goods
supporting the war effort through economic stability
amendedBy Stabilization Extension Act of 1944
appliesTo prices of commodities
rents of housing accommodations
services related to defense production
authorized federal price controls
federal rent controls
rationing of scarce commodities
constitutionalBasisClaimed Commerce Clause
surface form: "Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution"
containsProvision administrative review procedures
enforcement mechanisms for price regulations
judicial review of regulations in special courts
treble-damage civil actions by buyers against violators
country United States of America
surface form: "United States"
created Office of Price Administration
empowered Office of Price Administration
enactedBy 77th United States Congress
expiration post–World War II period
grantedPower to issue rationing regulations
to regulate residential rents in defense areas
to set maximum prices for many goods and services
historicalContext home front economic mobilization in the United States
impact expanded federal role in economic regulation
limited price increases for many consumer goods
jurisdiction United States government
surface form: "federal government of the United States"
legalBasisFor civil and criminal penalties for price violations
wartime price ceilings
wartime rent ceilings
opposedBy some business groups
purpose to prevent wartime inflation
to protect consumers from price gouging
to stabilize prices during World War II
to stabilize rents during World War II
relatedTo Second War Powers Act of 1942
Emergency Price Control Act of 1942
surface form: "Stabilization Act of 1942"
shortTitle Emergency Price Control Act of 1942
surface form: "Emergency Price Control Act"
signedBy President Franklin D. Roosevelt
surface form: "Franklin D. Roosevelt"
signingDate January 30, 1942
subjectOf Supreme Court case Yakus v. United States
supersededBy postwar housing and rent control legislation
supportedBy Roosevelt administration
many consumer organizations
timePeriod World War II
upheldIn Supreme Court case Yakus v. United States
surface form: "Yakus v. United States (1944)"
yearOfEnactment 1942

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Office of Price Administration legalBasis Emergency Price Control Act of 1942
77th United States Congress passedLegislation Emergency Price Control Act of 1942
Emergency Price Control Act of 1942 relatedTo Emergency Price Control Act of 1942
this entity surface form: "Stabilization Act of 1942"
Emergency Price Control Act of 1942 shortTitle Emergency Price Control Act of 1942
this entity surface form: "Emergency Price Control Act"

Please wait…