---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 6384"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "6384"
heading: "Enforcement"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
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/42/6202.md?p=2) 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 or any other attorney designated by the Comptroller General, or, upon request of the Comptroller General, the Attorney General. A [person](/usc/42/6202.md?p=2) shall not be liable with respect to any period during which the effectiveness of the order with respect to such [person](/usc/42/6202.md?p=2) 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 or designated by the Comptroller General, or, upon request of the Comptroller General, the Attorney General, 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”.