House Republicans have introduced a proposal to shift antitrust enforcement authority from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The initiative, announced by the House Judiciary Committee, is part of a broader budget reconciliation package. It includes provisions to fund the transfer of personnel and ongoing cases to the DOJ, aiming to streamline federal antitrust enforcement and eliminate bureaucratic overlap. The proposal echoes legislation introduced by Representative Ben Cline of Virginia and builds on similar efforts by Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who has long advocated for consolidating antitrust responsibilities under one agency.
The plan would eliminate the FTC’s role in antitrust matters and grant the head of the DOJ’s antitrust division authority to restructure the newly unified body. While the FTC has not commented on the proposal, the move raises questions about the future of agency independence and the direction of U.S. antitrust policy. The measure’s chances of success remain uncertain, but its inclusion in a budget reconciliation bill gives it a procedural advantage. Unlike most legislation, it could pass the Senate with a simple majority, bypassing the 60-vote threshold usually required to overcome a filibuster—a path more feasible in the current Republican-controlled Senate.
