FTC Testifies before Senate Commerce Committee about Agency’s Work to Protect Consumers and Promote Competition

In testimony presented to the US Senate Commerce Committee, the Federal Trade Commission described its work, and called for several changes to the FTC Act that would enhance its ability to protect consumers and promote competition. FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and Commissioners Maureen K. Ohlhausen and Terrell McSweeny testified before the Committee. In their written testimony, they estimated that the agency’s antitrust enforcement efforts have saved consumers over $3.4 billion, while its consumer protection actions have saved consumers $717 million.

The Commission called for repeal of the common carrier exception to the FTC Act, which prevents the FTC from taking action to protect consumers in some cases involving telecommunications firms and other common carriers. “As the telecommunications and Internet industries continue to converge, the common carrier exception is increasingly likely to frustrate the FTC’s ability to stop deceptive and unfair acts and practices and unfair methods of competition with respect to a wide array of activities,” the Commission stated.