---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6384"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6384"
heading: "Enforcement"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/6384"
units:
  - "Chapter 77 — Energy Conservation"
  - "Subchapter IV — General Provisions"
  - "Part A — Energy Data Base and Energy Information"
---

# §6384. Enforcement

- (a) **Civil penalties—** Any [person](/usc/42/6381.md?p=c-3) who violates any general or special order of the Comptroller General issued under [section 6382(a)(1)(B) of this title](/usc/42/6382.md?p=a-1-B) may be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c). Each day of failure to comply with such an order shall be deemed a separate [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c). Such penalty shall be assessed by the Comptroller General and collected in a civil action brought by the Comptroller General through any attorney employed by the Government Accountability [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) or any other attorney designated by the Comptroller General, or, upon request of the Comptroller General, the [Attorney General](/usc/42/14902.md?p=6). A [person](/usc/42/6381.md?p=c-3) shall not be liable with respect to any period during which the effectiveness of the order with respect to such [person](/usc/42/6381.md?p=c-3) was stayed.
- (b) **Jurisdiction; process—** Any action to enjoin or set aside an order issued under [section 6382(a)(1)(B) of this title](/usc/42/6382.md?p=a-1-B) may be brought only before the [United States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=5) Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Any action to collect a civil penalty for [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) of any general or special order may be brought only in the [United States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=5) District Court for the District of Columbia. In any action brought under [subsection (a)](#a) to collect a civil penalty, process may be served in any judicial district of the [United States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=5).
- (c) **Securing compliance with subpena—** Upon petition by the Comptroller General through any attorney employed by the Government Accountability [Office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1) or designated by the Comptroller General, or, upon request of the Comptroller General, the [Attorney General](/usc/42/14902.md?p=6), any [United States](/usc/42/6202.md?p=5) district court within the jurisdiction of which any inquiry under this part is carried on may, in the case of refusal to obey a subpena of the Comptroller General issued under this part, issue an order requiring compliance therewith; and any failure to obey the order of the court may be treated by the court as a contempt thereof.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–163, title V, § 504, Dec. 22, 1975, 89 Stat. 959; Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2004—Subsecs. (a), (c). Pub. L. 108–271 substituted “Government Accountability Office” for “General Accounting Office”.