Klobuchar has introduced the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act in an effort to strengthen reviews of antitrust settlements to ensure they protect consumers, workers and small businesses. The AATA would extend reviews under the Tunney Act to the Federal Trade Commission, which currently only apply to the Justice Department. It would also require the government to explain how a proposed settlement remedies antitrust issues and to disclose previous settlement offers, the process for reviewing those offers and side-deals not included in the four concerns of a consent decree. The parties involved in the settlement would also be required to disclose all communications related to the settlement. The legislation would also create a “hold-separate” requirement for up to 90 days to allow a court to review public comments and government responses to a settlement before a merger can move forward. Courts may allow the hold-separate period to lapse or, upon showing the settlement may pose problems, extend the hold-separate order as necessary. The act would further require that courts ensure the settlement terms “do not pose a material risk of allowing a merger or other business conduct to continue that threatens to violate the antitrust laws” and are reasonably related to the antitrust concerns to prevent the government from using it as leverage in other unrelated matters. Courts would also be required to base their decisions on “reasoned analysis and evidence, not merely deference to the government.” ... Additionally, the bill would empower state attorneys general by allowing them to intervene in Tunney Act hearings and creates a process by which they can step in to fight and continue a case where the federal government chooses to voluntarily dismiss it.
Strengthen antitrust reviews by introducing the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act (AATA), which would extend Tunney Act review to Federal Trade Commission settlements, require disclosure of settlement offers and communications, establish a hold-separate period before mergers finalize, empower courts to ensure settlements do not allow anticompetitive conduct, and enable state attorneys general to intervene and continue federal antitrust cases.
Occurrences
Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act to strengthen review of antitrust settlements and ensure they protect consumers, workers, and small businesses. ... This bill ... ensures that courts have the tools to independently review settlements and approve only those that benefit the American people... The Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act protects consumers, workers, and the integrity of antitrust enforcement by making the following reforms to the Tunney Act: Apply Review to the Federal Trade Commission ... Bolster disclosure requirements ... Hold-Separate Provisions ... Strengthen Court Review ... Empower State Attorneys General ... Voluntary Dismissals ...
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) has introduced the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act to bolster transparency surrounding antitrust settlements and subject the Federal Trade Commission to the same review requirements as the Department of Justice. ... Senator Klobuchar’s proposal would make several changes to current antitrust enforcement procedures. Perhaps most notable is that the legislation would subject the FTC to the same Tunney Act requirements as the DOJ. The bill also seeks to increase dramatically the transparency of civil antitrust settlements by increasing disclosure requirements. ... The legislation would extend the scope of disclosures to include the Executive Office of the President. ... In proceedings brought under Section 7 of the Clayton Act ... the proposal would establish a mandatory 90-day 'hold-separate' requirement. ... The standard courts use in their determination under Tunney Act review would also be changed under the proposed legislation. ... The bill would strengthen the court’s role in reviewing these agreements, requiring it to determine whether 'provisions of the consent judgement are reasonably tailored to the violations of the antitrust laws alleged' ... Another proposed change ... would involve civil antitrust cases that are voluntarily dismissed ... state attorneys general may file a motion for substitution ... the legislation would empower state attorneys general to intervene in Tunney Act proceedings.
Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy joined the AATA, emphasizing the need to strengthen the review of antitrust settlements to protect consumers, workers, and small businesses, and to prevent settlements that favor special interests over the public.
Senator Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) introduction of the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act, a bill designed to restore judicial oversight of antitrust settlements and prevent executive branch overreach...This bill applies the Tunney Act to the Federal Trade Commission and ensures courts must independently review antitrust settlements to ensure the settlements remedy the antitrust harms...It clarifies that once the DOJ invokes the jurisdiction of federal courts, the court has an independent duty to review the settlement, preventing the executive branch from claiming prosecutorial discretion to avoid scrutiny. The bill requires disclosure of White House involvement in antitrust settlement negotiations, ensuring that legal judgments are based on law rather than political influence. It subjects the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to the same Tunney Act requirements as the DOJ, ensuring administrative parity and preventing sycophantic surrender of agency independence. It requires merging firms to keep assets separate while Tunney Act review is pending, preventing companies from closing deals before a court can determine if the settlement actually protects competition.
Evidence
On March 17, 2026, Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act (AATA) to strengthen the review of antitrust settlements and ensure they protect consumers, workers, and small businesses. The legislation aims to extend Tunney Act reviews to the Federal Trade Commission, bolster disclosure requirements, implement hold-separate provisions, strengthen court review, and empower state attorneys general.
The Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act, introduced by Senator Klobuchar, seeks to extend Tunney Act reviews to the Federal Trade Commission, require disclosure of settlement offers and communications, establish a hold-separate period before mergers finalize, empower courts to ensure settlements do not allow anticompetitive conduct, and enable state attorneys general to intervene and continue federal antitrust cases.
The American Action Forum analyzed the AATA, noting that while it aims to increase transparency in antitrust settlements, it could introduce regulatory risks such as delaying deal closings, increasing litigation costs, discouraging open dialogue among parties, and stripping executive branch prosecutorial discretion.
The American Economic Liberties Project praised the introduction of the AATA, stating that it aims to restore judicial oversight of antitrust settlements and prevent executive branch overreach, ensuring that settlements remedy antitrust harms and protect competition and the public from political backroom deals.
Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy joined the AATA, emphasizing the need to strengthen the review of antitrust settlements to protect consumers, workers, and small businesses, and to prevent settlements that favor special interests over the public.
Last Action Date Listed: March 17, 2026. Action: Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Booker, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Welch, Ms. Warren, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Bill Number: S. 4107. Short Title: Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act.
Assessments
Klobuchar personally introduced S. 4107, the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act, on March 17, 2026, and the described bill contains the promised mechanisms: extending Tunney Act-style review to FTC settlements, added disclosures, hold-separate provisions, stronger court review, and state attorney general intervention authority. Because the promise is framed as strengthening review by introducing the AATA, introduction by the candidate in her current Senate term satisfies the promised action. The evidence does not show enactment, so this should not be treated as delivery of statutory reform beyond the introduction promise.
Senator Amy Klobuchar introduced the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act in 2026 and secured co-sponsors, with secondary sources confirming comprehensive legislative effort. However, there is no evidence the bill passed or became law. Thus, although a serious legislative attempt was made, the promise was not delivered.
Senator Klobuchar fulfilled the promise to introduce the Antitrust Accountability and Transparency Act (AATA) as legislative text was drafted and formally introduced to the U.S. Senate. Multiple sources confirm the bill was introduced with specific features outlined in the campaign promise, and additional senators expressed support. However, there is no evidence of the bill's enactment or passage into law; thus, the outcome is 'partial' as introduction alone does not equate to full delivery of substantive policy change.