[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1687 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1687

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to authorize appropriations 
                   for the Federal Trade Commission.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Trade Commission 
Reauthorization Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION.

    Section 25 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57c) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``and not to exceed'' and inserting ``not 
        to exceed''; and
            (2) by striking ``1998.'' and inserting the following: 
        ``1998; not to exceed $164,600,000 for fiscal year 2001; and 
        not to exceed $177,460,000 for fiscal year 2002.''.

SEC. 3. INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTARY REQUESTS.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General and the Federal Trade 
Commission shall each designate a senior official not directly having 
supervisory responsibility for the review of any enforcement 
recommendation under section 7A(e)(1) of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 
18a(e)) concerning the transaction at issue to hear any petition filed 
by the acquiring person or the person whose voting securities or assets 
are to be acquired, to determine--
            (1) whether the request for additional information or 
        documentary material is unreasonably cumulative, unduly 
        burdensome or duplicative; or
            (2) whether the request for additional information or 
        documentary material has been substantially complied with by 
        the petitioning person.
    (b) Expedited Review.--Internal review procedures for petitions 
filed pursuant to subsection (a) shall include reasonable deadlines for 
expedited review of any such petitions filed, after reasonable 
negotiations with investigative staff, in order to avoid undue delay of 
the merger review process.
    (c) Internal Review.--The Attorney General and the Federal Trade 
Commission shall conduct an internal review and implement reforms of 
the merger review process in order to eliminate unnecessary burden, 
remove costly duplication, and eliminate undue delay, in order to 
achieve a more effective and more efficient merger review process.
    (d) Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission shall issue 
or amend their respective industry guidance, regulations, operating 
manuals and relevant policy documents, where appropriate, to implement 
each reform in this subparagraph.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission shall 
each report to Congress--
            (1) what reforms each agency has adopted under this 
        subparagraph;
            (2) what steps each has taken to implement such internal 
        reforms; and
            (3) the effects of those reforms.

SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORTS.

    The Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission shall include 
in the report to Congress required by section 7A(j) of the Clayton Act 
(15 U.S.C. 18a(j))--
            (1) the number of notifications filed under this section 7A 
        of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 18a);
            (2) the number of notifications filed in which the 
        Assistant Attorney General or Federal Trade Commission 
        requested the submission of additional information or 
        documentary material relevant to the proposed acquisition;
            (3) data relating to the length of time for parties to 
        comply with requests for the submission of additional 
        information or documentary material relevant to the proposed 
        acquisition;
            (4) the number of petitions filed pursuant to section 3(a) 
        of this Act regarding a request for the submission of 
        additional information or documentary material relevant to the 
        proposed acquisition and the manner in which such petitions 
        were resolved;
            (5) data relating to the volume (in number of boxes or 
        pages) of materials submitted pursuant to requests for 
        additional information or documentary material; and
            (6) the number of notifications filed in which a request 
        for additional information or documentary materials was made 
        but never complied with prior to resolution of the case.

            Passed the Senate October 10 (legislative day, September 
      22), 2000.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
106th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1687

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 To amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to authorize appropriations 
                   for the Federal Trade Commission.