NCL applauds competition regulators for centering consumers and workers in 2023 Merger Guidelines

December 19, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released their final merger guidelines, describing how the agencies will review mergers and acquisitions. The agencies improved upon existing guidelines by recentering marketplace competition and federal antitrust law, a break from previous enforcement regimes that allowed waves of consolidation to occur economy-wide with few repercussions.

“The 2023 Merger Guidelines mark a historic return toward these agencies’ original mandates—to protect the public from predatory corporations,” said National Consumers League Chief Executive Officer Sally Greenberg. “Decades of rubber-stamping harmful deals have allowed anti-consumer and anti-worker practices to run wild. NCL welcomes the updated guidelines and appreciates that the Commission and Department have signaled an intention to examine proposed deals holistically. Strong enforcement of our antitrust laws is key to combatting price gouging, privacy violations, wage suppression, and other noxious practices.”

NCL strongly supports the application of antitrust laws to protect consumers, workers, and our democracy. NCL’s comments to the DOJ and FTC on the 2023 Merger Guidelines can be found here.

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About the National Consumers League (NCL)

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization.  Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad.  For more information, visit nclnet.org.

National Consumers League urges swift confirmation of FTC nominees

July 7, 2023

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 202-207-2831

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Consumers League (NCL) today urged leaders in the Senate to restore the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to its full complement of Commissioners by swiftly confirming Utah Solicitor General Melissa Holyoak and Virginia Solicitor General Andrew Ferguson, who were nominated by President Biden on July 3 and FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, who was renominated to a second term on February 13.

The following statement is attributable to NCL Chief Executive Officer Sally Greenberg:

“The FTC operates best when it is at full strength. NCL therefore welcomes the nomination of these three outstanding public servants whose key skills, experience, commitment, and expertise will serve them well in fulfilling the agency’s critical consumer protection and competition promotion mission. We look forward to working with Commissioner-designate Holyoak, Commissioner-designate Ferguson, Commissioner Slaughter, and all the leaders of the FTC to fulfill the important mandate of this independent consumer protection agency.”

NCL Executive Director testifies before the DC Council in support of the Sunshine in Litigation Act

December 9, 2022

Media contact: National Consumers League – Melody Merin, melodym@nclnet.org, 703-298-2614

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sally Greenberg, NCL’s Executive Director, testified before the D.C. Council Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety yesterday to express support for the “Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2022.

Read her full testimony here.