UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Federal Trade Commission
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20580
Office of the Commissioner
Opening Statement of
FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra
As Prepared for Delivery
Before the House Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
Hearing on the Federal Trade Commission:
Protecting Consumers and Fostering Competition in the 21st Century
September 25, 2019
Chairman Quigley, Ranking Member Graves and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for
holding this hearing. My name is Rohit Chopra, and I’m honored to sit alongside Chairman
Simons to represent the Federal Trade Commission.
Congressional oversight ensures that regulatory and enforcement agencies are accountable to the
public. I welcome this oversight, and I believe it makes us stronger.
As Congress tackles some of the biggest challenges facing our economy, society, and even our
national security, the Federal Trade Commission should be a critical piece of the puzzle. The
stakes could not be higher. For example, how will we combat pharmaceutical industry abuses
contributing to out-of-control drug prices that can mean the difference between life and death for
patients? What can we do to make sure that Americans can get a pay raise in a competitive job
market, rather than being squeezed by employer consolidation and non-compete agreements?
How will we reverse the worrisome decline in new business formation and make sure that
American entrepreneurs are not blocked by incumbents protecting their turf? How will we
safeguard sensitive data from abuse and misuse by those here at home seeking profit and by
those abroad seeking to do us harm? How will we deal with the rising dominance of Big Tech
when it comes to fake reviews, facial recognition, fair competition, and so much more?
Congress is currently considering an increase in funding for the FTC, and I share Chairman
Simons’ commitment to use every resource effectively to deliver value for the public.
The FTC hearings that convened over the last year were a reminder of the importance of self-
critical analysis. We must always be searching for ways to be more effective. For example, what
more can we do to leverage the resources and authorities of our federal and state law
enforcement partners to win full redress for victims and accountability for corporations and their
executives that broke the law? How can we codify existing policy guidance and case law into
clear rules so we can seek stiff penalties to be returned to taxpayers? What more can we do to
