The Center for American Progress (CAP) hosted a discussion today with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM). The event focused on enhancing competition and providing consumers with more choices. Chair Khan discussed the FTC's initiatives to halt anticompetitive practices in various industries, including efforts against price-fixing in rental housing and the elimination of junk fees for concert tickets and delivery services.

Khan articulated her vision: "A world where you always have another choice and the freedom to choose it, where you aren’t constantly afraid you are being ripped off and you aren’t waking up every morning gearing up for battle. This is the world that the FTC and the Biden-Harris administration is fighting to make possible. We aren’t asking for anything extraordinary. We are asking for the most ordinary thing on earth: Our time, our dignity, and our peace of mind."

Senator Luján shared personal experiences about his family's struggles due to corporate lack of transparency. He recounted how his late father, an ironworker unaware of asbestos exposure risks, succumbed to lung cancer. Luján emphasized that such lack of transparency deprives individuals of informed choices, leading to severe health and economic consequences. He urged companies to "just be honest. Share with the American people what the concerns are, what can happen to them," adding, "We can’t make [a choice] if we don’t know what is going on."

The conversation between Chair Khan and Senator Luján is available for viewing on CAP’s website.

For further information or expert commentary, contact Sarah Nadeau at [email protected].