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Long title | An Act to amend an Act entitled "An Act to supplement existing laws against unlawful restraints and monopolies, and for other purposes," approved October 15, 1914 (38 Stat. 730), as amended. |
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Enacted by | the81st United States Congress |
Effective | 29 December 1950 |
Citations | |
Public law | P.L. 81-899 |
Statutes at Large | 64 Stat. 1125 |
Codification | |
Acts amended | Clayton Antitrust Act |
Legislative history | |
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TheCeller–Kefauver Act is aUnited States federal law passed in 1950 that reformed and strengthened theClayton Antitrust Act of 1914, which had amended theSherman Antitrust Act of 1890.
The Celler–Kefauver Act was passed to close aloophole regarding asset acquisitions[1] and acquisitions involving firms that were not direct competitors. While the Clayton Act prohibited stock purchase mergers that resulted in reduced competition, shrewd businessmen were able to find ways around the Clayton Act simply by buying up a competitor's assets.[2] The Celler–Kefauver Act prohibited that practice if competition would be reduced as a result of the asset acquisition.
Sometimes referred to as theAnti-Merger Act, the Celler–Kefauver Act gave the government the ability to preventvertical mergers andconglomerate mergers which could limit competition.
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