A joint resolution directing the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and report on anticompetitive practices and violations of the antitrust laws in the fire truck manufacturing industry.

119th Congress Introduced by Jim Banks and 1 co-sponsor

FTC will investigate anticompetitive practices in fire truck manufacturing and report findings and remedial recommendations to Congress within one year.

Introduced in Senate

Purpose of the bill

SJRES 201 directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate and report on anticompetitive practices and violations of antitrust laws within the fire truck manufacturing industry.

The goal is to assess the extent of antitrust concerns, the impact on public safety and stakeholders, and to propose potential legislative or remedial actions.

Key provisions and changes

Commission-directed investigation:

The FTC is tasked to investigate the fire truck manufacturing industry and report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees within one year of adoption.
The inquiry focuses on violations of the antitrust laws as defined by the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 12) and related enforcement considerations.

Specific anti-competitive practices to assess:

Price fixing
Price gouging
Serial acquisitions (patterns of acquisitions)
Monopolization

Evaluation of impact:

The report must analyze the effects of anticompetitive practices and violations on:
Firefighters and fire departments
States and municipalities
Small businesses
Monetary and non-monetary harms

Legislative and remedial recommendations:

The FTC’s report should include recommendations for potential legislation or other remedial actions as appropriate.

Enforcement provision if information is not provided timely:

If a respondent does not timely provide requested information, the FTC must report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees regarding the conduct of that respondent.

Who/what is affected

Industry: Fire truck manufacturers, including major and smaller manufacturers and any entities involved in selling or supplying fire trucks.

Public entities: Fire departments, municipalities, states, and related government agencies that procure or fund fire trucks.

Stakeholders: Firefighters, public safety officials, and small businesses connected to the procurement and supply chain of fire equipment.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction and referral:

Introduced in the Senate on July 21, 2026, by Senators Warren (for herself and Banks) and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

Reporting timeline:

The FTC must complete and deliver its report not later than one year after the adoption of the resolution.

Reporting scope:

The report is to be submitted to the committees of the Judiciary in both the Senate and the House.

Compliance mechanism:

If respondents with information requests fail to provide timely answers, the FTC must report on their conduct to the relevant committees.

Additional context

The resolution highlights concerns about consolidation in the fire truck industry, influenced by private equity and large manufacturers.

It references long-term increases in fire truck prices and delivery delays, and cites incidents such as delayed procurement impacting public safety (e.g., Los Angeles Fire Department during wildfires in 2025).

The resolution leverages existing FTC/DOJ guidance on cumulative effects of multiple acquisitions under merger guidelines.

If you’d like, I can add a plain-language executive summary or a side-by-side comparison with typical antitrust enforcement actions.