This bill amends the Packers and Stockyards Act to create the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters inside the Packers and Stockyards Division of the Department of Agriculture. The Office will be led by a Special Investigator appointed by the Secretary. The Special Investigator may use all available tools, including subpoenas, to investigate and prosecute violations of the Act. The Office must maintain a staff of attorneys and other professionals.
The bill requires the Special Investigator to act as a liaison and consult with the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission on competition and trade practices in the food and agricultural sector. The Special Investigator must also consult with the Department of Homeland Security on national security and critical infrastructure security in the food and agricultural sector. The bill gives the Special Investigator the authority to bring any civil or administrative action authorized under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
This bill was introduced in the House on February 14, 2025, by Representatives Josh Gottheimer, Michael Lawler, and Eugene Vindman, and was referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
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