Equitable Growth releases policy agenda for U.S. antitrust enforcement

New report aims to restore competition in next administration, new Congress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 2020
CONTACT:
Erica Handloff, 202-746-5747
ehandloff@equitablegrowth.org

WASHINGTON – Today, the Washington Center for Equitable Growth released a new report outlining a roadmap for the next administration and the incoming 117th Congress to address rising market power and restore a competitive U.S. economy. The authors, who represent some of the foremost experts in their fields, call for fundamental changes to competition policy, antitrust laws, and the enforcement of both.

“For far too long, the federal government has failed to adequately address the problem of rising market power in the United States,” explained Equitable Growth Director of Markets and Competition Policy Michael Kades. “This report provides a blueprint for policymakers of the changes needed to strengthen antitrust law and its enforcement, changes that will foster competition and innovation, prevent the abuse of market power, and reduce inequality.”

The report, which offers a bold new vision for the future of antitrust, is the work of seven academic experts with deep policy experience in antitrust enforcement:

• Bill Baer, on leave, visiting fellow in Governance Studies, The Brookings Institution
• Jonathan B. Baker, research professor of law, American University Washington College of Law
• Michael Kades, director of markets and competition policy, Washington Center for Equitable Growth
• Fiona Scott Morton, Theodore Nierenberg Professor of Economics, Yale University School of Management
• Nancy L. Rose, Charles P. Kindleberger Professor of Applied Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Carl Shapiro, Professor of the Graduate School, Haas School of Business and the Department of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley
• Tim Wu, Julius Silver Professor of Law, Science and Technology, Columbia Law School

Relying on cutting-edge research to advance their policy recommendations, the authors urge the new administration and Congress to:

• Devote resources to the passage of new antitrust legislation and increase resources for antitrust enforcement
• Revitalize antitrust enforcement with a focus on strengthening deterrence 
• Commit to a “whole government” approach to competition policy, including the establishment of a new White House Office of Competition Policy to promote rulemakings that catalyze competition and reverse those that entrench incumbents or suppress competition

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The Washington Center for Equitable Growth is a nonprofit research and grantmaking organization dedicated to advancing evidence-backed ideas and policies that promote strong, stable, and broad-based economic growth. For more information, see www.equitablegrowth.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @equitablegrowth.