FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          AT
THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1997                           (202) 616-2771
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

         JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ISSUES 1996 ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT
               TO THE "DIGEST OF BUSINESS REVIEWS"

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Justice's Antitrust
Division today released the 1996 annual supplement and revised
indexes to the "Digest of Business Reviews."  

     The original Digest, published in 1983, contained summaries
of letters issued by the Antitrust Division from 1968 to 1982
under its Business Review procedure.  Supplements are issued on
an annual basis.

     Under the Business Review procedure, a firm describes
proposed business activity to the Antitrust Division and receives
a letter stating whether the Division would challenge the action
as a violation of the federal antitrust laws.

     The updated indexes permit research of all Business Review
letters issued since 1968 according to topic, commodity or
service involved, and the name of the requesting party.

     Copies of the Digest, supplements, revised indexes, and
Business Review letters are available from the Legal Procedures
Unit of the Antitrust Division, Department of Justice, Suite 215
Liberty Place, 325 7th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004
(telephone:  202-514-2481).
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