House Judiciary Committee Backs Away from Bid to Strip FTC’s Antitrust Power

The House Judiciary Committee has withdrawn a controversial proposal that would have significantly curtailed the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) antitrust authority, reversing its earlier position just days after the measure was introduced.

The proposal, which had been inserted into a broader budget package on Monday by the committee’s Republican leadership, aimed to transfer the FTC’s antitrust responsibilities to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The amendment was initially backed by Representative Jim Jordan, the committee’s Republican chair. However, according to Reuters, Jordan introduced and successfully passed an amendment during a hearing on Wednesday to remove the measure from the package.

The FTC currently shares oversight of federal antitrust enforcement with the DOJ—a dual-agency framework that has been in place for over a century. The now-abandoned proposal closely resembled the One Agency Act, a GOP-led initiative that has received vocal support from Elon Musk. Per Reuters, Musk has also aligned himself with former President Donald Trump’s push to reduce the federal workforce.

Related: House Republicans Propose Shifting FTC Antitrust Duties to Justice Department

The political maneuvering comes amid escalating scrutiny of Big Tech firms, with the FTC pursuing aggressive antitrust actions under its current leadership. The agency is actively litigating a high-profile case against Meta Platforms, accusing the tech giant of maintaining an unlawful monopoly over social media—a claim Meta has denied. The case was originally initiated during Trump’s first term, signaling bipartisan interest in curbing tech industry dominance.

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson has also suggested that coordination among companies on content moderation policies or advertiser boycotts could breach antitrust law. According to Reuters, such concerns are particularly relevant as the agency investigates whether online platforms have infringed on free speech rights, especially those of conservatives—a focus backed by Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Critics of the now-scrapped Judiciary Committee measure warned it could have significantly undermined the FTC’s broader enforcement powers. The agency is currently using its authority to pursue cases involving major corporations such as Amazon, John Deere, and several pharmacy benefit managers, under allegations of unfair methods of competition.

Source: Reuters