Cutting through duct tape: The Tipline for 9 June 2021

The Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice’s antitrust division are each one step closer to a $67 million payday after the Senate passed the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act on Tuesday. The legislation will require companies participating in mergers worth more than $1 billion to pay higher filing fees directly into the pockets of the watchdogs reviewing the deals. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a co-sponsor of the bill, celebrated what she called a necessary step in levelling the playing field. “You just cannot take on the biggest companies in the world with duct tape and Band-Aids,” she said.