Washington, D.C., September 17, 2025 — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has submitted recommendations to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for removing or revising a wide range of federal regulations deemed anticompetitive. The move comes in response to President Trump’s Executive Order on Reducing Anticompetitive Regulatory Barriers, which directed agencies to identify rules that shield incumbents, block new market entrants, and distort competition.
FTC Chairman Andrew N Ferguson’s report highlights examples across multiple sectors, including transportation, education, consumer products, and natural resources. Among the targeted rules are Department of Transportation provisions that prioritize contracts for businesses owned by “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals,” Department of Education policies allowing textbook costs to be bundled into tuition, and proposed Consumer Product Safety Commission requirements mandating patented table saw safety technology. The agency also cited Forest Service rules that restrict entry for younger ranchers.
FTC Bureau of Competition Director Daniel Guarnera framed the recommendations as essential to strengthening competition and lowering costs. “Heavy-handed regulations can hurt competition, including by entrenching incumbent firms, raising costs for new entrants, and discouraging innovative new ways to serve customers,” he said.
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division also announced its collaboration with the FTC, noting that the joint effort identified more than 125 regulations warranting revision or repeal. Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater emphasized the administration’s market-oriented approach: “Lowering barriers to entry by removing anticompetitive regulations will free America’s innovators and entrepreneurs to do what they do best: drive America’s future success.”
The OMB will now review the FTC’s recommendations, with further interagency coordination expected before any rescissions or revisions are finalized.
