The House Judiciary Committee will mark up a...

The House Judiciary Committee will mark up a bill Wednesday to harmonize the antitrust standards and processes between the FTC and Department of Justice, said a Tuesday news release (http://1.usa.gov/1CO8Ow8). Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, introduced Tuesday the Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules Act (HR-5402), or SMARTER Act, which would “ensure that parties to a proposed merger receive the same treatment regardless of whether the FTC or the DOJ reviews the transaction,” Farenthold said. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., supported the bill in a statement: “One of the responsibilities of the Judiciary Committee is to ensure fairness and consistency in the enforcement of our nation’s antitrust laws. The Smarter Act is a commonsense measure that reduces disparities in the merger review process."