Senator Klobuchar Introduces Far-Reaching Bill That Aims To Reinvigorate Antitrust Laws

On February 4, 2021, Democratic Senator and chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Amy Klobuchar introduced the Competition and Antitrust Enforcement Reform Act of 2021 (the "Act"), which proposes to overhaul existing antitrust laws by expanding their scope and bolstering enforcement resources.

If passed, the Act would significantly increase funding to the U.S. antitrust agencies, the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") and the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC"), providing additional resources to investigate and potentially challenge corporate transactions and other conduct that may not receive such scrutiny today. And the Act proposes substantial changes to the legal framework that would make it less difficult for the DOJ and FTC to prevail in such challenges. Not limited to well-known tech giants and other firms mentioned in the news, the Act proposes changes to antitrust law that would cover transactions large and