A bill to prevent retailers from setting minimum prices passed the U.S. House Judiciary Committee last week. The "Discount Pricing Consumer Protection Act" (HR 3190), passed the Competition Policy Subcommittee after much debate and with the strong support of eBay. eBay users often can buy and sell goods at prices far below conventional retailers. "When large manufacturers and their dominant retail partners engage in price-fixing, they burden consumers with inflated prices and rob the economy of the value provided by small business competition," said Tod Cohen, eBay deputy general counsel for government relations.