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Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force

Antitrust Division Seal

The Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force advocates for the elimination of anticompetitive state and federal laws and regulations that undermine free market competition and harm consumers, workers, and businesses. The Task Force brings together attorneys, economists, and staff from across the Antitrust Division and the federal government to identify state and federal laws and regulations that create unnecessary barriers to competition.

When regulations serve the few and impose undue burdens on small businesses, private enterprise, and entrepreneurs, they also harm competition and ultimately hurt American consumers, workers, and businesses. For example, regulations can increase compliance costs, preventing businesses from competing on a level playing field with powerful corporations. Regulations can also discourage or even intentionally prohibit small businesses and new products from entering markets and lowering prices for American families.

In contrast, eliminating unnecessary anticompetitive regulations makes it easier for businesses to compete. More competition empowers the American people—not government regulators—to drive economic progress and innovation. When every American has a fair opportunity to enjoy the benefits of competitive free markets, every American has an opportunity to realize the American dream.

“Realizing President Trump’s economic Golden Age will require unwinding burdensome regulations that stifle free market competition. This Antitrust Division will stand against harmful barriers to competition whether imposed by public regulators or private monopolists,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We look forward to working with the public and with other federal agencies to identify and eliminate anticompetitive laws and regulations.”

On January 31, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14192 declaring “the policy of the executive branch” to be that federal agencies should “alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on the American people.” Consistent with this policy, on February 19, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14219 directing agencies to “initiate a process to review all regulations” and identify regulations that, among other things, “impose undue burdens on small businesses and impede private enterprise and entrepreneurship.” Consistent with longstanding practice, the Antitrust Division will support federal agencies’ deregulatory initiatives by sharing its market expertise on regulations that pose the greatest barriers to economic growth.

Public Comments

The Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force invites public comments to identify laws and regulations that raise barriers to competition. To submit a comment, visit Regulations.gov by May 27, 2025. All those impacted by anticompetitive state or federal laws and regulations, including consumers, consumer advocates, small businesses, employers, trade groups, and industry analysts are invited to comment.

Visit Regulations.gov

 

The Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force is particularly interested in seeking information about laws and regulations that make it more difficult for businesses to compete effectively, especially in markets that have the greatest impact on American households, including:

  • Housing: Americans spend more than one-third of their monthly income on housing, and the cost of owning or renting a home continues to rise. Laws and regulations in housing markets can contribute to these problems by making it more difficult for companies to build and ordinary Americans to rent or buy.
  • Transportation: Laws and regulations in areas like airlines, rail, and ocean shipping can grant antitrust immunities, outright monopolies, or safe harbors for conduct that undermines competition. As a result, Americans pay more for travel, fuel, and a variety of other products.
  • Food and Agriculture: By the end of the Biden-Harris Administration, grocery prices were 27% higher than at the end of the first Trump Administration. Eliminating unnecessary anticompetitive regulations will help farmers, growers, and ranchers increase the amount of food they produce and unlock lower prices for American consumers.
  • Healthcare: Laws and regulations in healthcare markets too often discourage doctors and hospitals from providing low-cost, high-quality healthcare and instead encourage overbilling and consolidation. These kinds of unnecessary anticompetitive regulations put affordable healthcare out of reach for millions of American families.
  • Energy: Reliable and affordable energy is essential to modern American life—whether in homes, businesses, manufacturing plants, schools, hospitals, sporting events, or data centers. Laws and regulations can undermine reliability and affordability by protecting incumbent electricity providers from competition or disruptive innovation.

For more information: Contact AnticompetitiveRegulations@usdoj.gov.

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