Congress Considers Antitrust Changes To Big Tech Merger Approvals

Both Democrats and Republicans have talked about a need to strengthen US antitrust law. This year could test whether they are serious about hammering out legislation to make it happen, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Congress is considering the most significant changes to antitrust law in decades, including some proposals with bipartisan support. Lawmakers are looking at setting a higher bar for acquisitions by companies that dominate their markets; making it easier for the government to challenge anti-competitive conduct; and potentially forcing some giant technology companies to separate different lines of their businesses.

For these measures to become law, lawmakers will have to move beyond their general unease with dominant companies—particularly in the tech sector—and navigate constituencies that don’t agree on whether antitrust law needs a major overhaul or targeted changes.

“There’s bipartisan interest in reforms or tweaks to the antitrust laws, and I think we will see some sort of legislation passed,” said former Justice Department antitrust lawyer Allen Grunes, now with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. “The challenge will be finding political consensus.”

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