NEW YORK / PAWTUCKET – Today, Acting Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter announced the creation of a rulemaking office in the FTC “to reinvigorate rulemaking authority to level the playing field for consumers and businesses.” Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10) and Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) released the following statements:

“Addressing America’s monopoly problem is critical to strengthening our economy and securing opportunity for working Americans,” Nadler and Cicilline said. “Today’s announcement by Acting Chairwoman Slaughter marks the first step in unlocking the potential of the Federal Trade Commission to use all of the tools at its disposal—including rulemaking—to promote competition across the economy. For too long, the FTC has failed to use the full extent of its authority to protect American consumers and workers. As a result, numerous sectors of the economy are highly concentrated and firms have engaged in widespread anticompetitive conduct, leading to higher prices, lower wages, and fewer choices. Establishing and enforcing clear rules to prohibit unfair methods of competition is a critical part of reversing this trend, particularly as our country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to continuing our work with Acting Chairwoman Slaughter to ensure that the FTC has the resources it needs to accomplish this vital mission.”