One Agency Act
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
Introduced
Summary
Centralize federal antitrust enforcement at the Department of Justice. This bill would move the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust authority, staff, cases, and funding into the DOJ Antitrust Division and set a structured transition with specific timelines and limits.
Show full summary
- FTC staff and operations: The FTC's Bureau of Competition and designated economic units, personnel, assets, and funding tied to antitrust work would transfer to the DOJ. The FTC would be barred from hiring new antitrust staff or opening new antitrust matters during the transition.
- Businesses and ongoing cases: Premerger filings tied to FTC-specific requirements would be waived while the Department of Justice keeps the premerger notification regime. Open FTC antitrust investigations, studies, litigations, and consent decrees would be transferred to DOJ, which could modify or rescind FTC consent decrees entered before the effective date.
- DOJ authority and timeline: The Attorney General would set exact transfer dates, may restructure the Antitrust Division, and may deputize former FTC employees to continue actions. The transition would end on the later of one year after the effective date or 180 days after that date and may be extended once by 180 days.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Agencies consult DOJ on antitrust
If enacted, agencies that must consult the FTC on antitrust or unfair‑competition issues would instead consult the Attorney General. Any legal rules that require notifying the FTC for those issues would be waived. Existing requirements to notify the Attorney General would stay the same.
Antitrust enforcement shifts to DOJ
If enacted, federal antitrust work would move from the FTC to the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. The law would start at the first fiscal year that begins at least 90 days after enactment. A transition would run until the later of one year after that start or 180 days after that, with one 180‑day extension possible if needed. Transfers of FTC antitrust cases, staff, money, and assets would happen on a date the Attorney General sets or by the end of the transition. During the transition, the FTC could not hire new antitrust staff, open new matters, or settle cases without the Attorney General’s approval, and open matters would move to DOJ. The Attorney General could reorganize the division and would take over FTC antitrust consent decrees at the end.
New reporting rules for businesses
If enacted, the Attorney General could order people and businesses to file annual or special reports about competition, with answers under oath. Reports would only cover competition or antitrust topics and would have a reasonable deadline. The Attorney General could publish parts that serve the public interest, but not trade secrets or confidential commercial or financial data. Confidential information could be shared with U.S. or foreign law enforcement only if they agree to keep it secret and use it only for official purposes.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
VA • R
Cosponsors
Fitzgerald
WI • R
Sponsored 1/14/2025
Hageman
WY • R
Sponsored 1/14/2025
Van Drew
NJ • R
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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