Bill > HR1380

This bill aims to amend the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 by establishing the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters within the Packers and Stockyards Division of the Department of Agriculture. The new office will be led by a Special Investigator appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, who will have broad powers to investigate and address competition issues in the food and agricultural sector. Specifically, the Special Investigator will be empowered to use subpoenas to investigate violations of the Act, serve as a liaison between the Department of Agriculture, Department of Justice, and Federal Trade Commission on competition and trade practices, collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security on national security and critical infrastructure concerns in the agricultural sector, and maintain a staff of attorneys and professionals with relevant expertise. Uniquely, the bill grants the Special Investigator the authority to bring civil or administrative actions under the Act, which is an exception to standard federal prosecutorial procedures. The bill, if passed, would be known as the "Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act" and is designed to enhance oversight and enforcement of competition laws in the agricultural industry.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1380/all-info