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Antitrust Amendments Act of 1990

Public Law 101-588 · H.R. 29 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 16, 1990 · Commerce

Sponsor: Rep. Hamilton Fish (R-NY-21)

Cosponsors (16): Rep. William Hughes,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Antitrust Amendments Act of 1990 - Amends the Clayton Act to prohibit any person from serving as a director or officer (currently, director only) of any two corporations that are competitors by virtue of their business and location so that the elimination of competition by agreement between them would constitute a violation of any of the antitrust laws, if each (currently, any) such corporation has capital, surplus, and undivided profits aggregating more than $10,000,000 (currently, $1,000,000). Establishes exceptions to such interlocking directorate and officer prohibition when: (1) the competitive sales of either corporation are less than $1,000,000; (2) the competitive sales of either corporation are less than two percent of that corporation's total sales; or (3) the competitive sales of each corporation are less than four percent of their total sales. Increases or decreases the $10,000,000 and $1,000,000 threshold amounts by the percentage increase or decrease in the gross national product for the preceding fiscal year. Provides that a director or officer shall not be deemed ineligible under the provisions of this Act until the expiration of one year from the date the event causing ineligibility occurred.

Repeals provisions prohibiting dealings exceeding $50,000 a year by a common carrier with a firm if there is any interlocking directorate, unless competitive bidding is used.

Amends the Sherman Act to increase criminal fines for restraint of trade and for monopolization of trade or commerce.

Amends the Clayton Act to provide for recovery of treble damages by the Government when it brings an antitrust action. (Current law allows only actual damages.)

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 23 actions.

  1. Nov 16, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-588.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 9, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 28, 1990Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Fish demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules. Without objection a second was ordered.
  7. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Brooks moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
  8. Oct 27, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
  9. FloorFloor · Amendment SP 3205 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
  10. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  11. May 15, 1990FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  12. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  13. FloorFloor · On ordering a second Agreed to without objection.
  14. FloorFloor · Mr. Fish demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules.
  15. FloorFloor · Mr. Brooks moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  16. May 14, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  17. May 1, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  18. Apr 26, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  20. Jun 15, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  21. Mar 27, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
  22. Jan 3, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  23. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.