Defense Contractor Competition Act

House Votes

This bill orders an independent review of how mergers and buyouts among defense contractors have affected competition over the past ten years. The Comptroller General must report to Congress on whether past fixes to mergers worked, how well the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Defense Department shared information during merger reviews, and how the Pentagon measures the impact of contractors owning multiple layers of the supply chain. The report must also check whether earlier recommendations to boost competition were actually carried out.

Why it matters: The findings could shape future rules on defense mergers, which can affect prices, innovation, and the health of the companies that supply the military. Stronger competition can help protect taxpayers and keep equipment and services reliable and affordable.

• Who is affected: Defense contractors, the Defense Department, and indirectly taxpayers and military personnel who rely on competitive pricing and innovation.
• What changes: A required government study on defense industry mergers, including how well agencies coordinate, how vertical integration is measured, and whether past recommendations were implemented.
• When: The review covers mergers and acquisitions from the ten years before the law takes effect, with a report due to congressional defense committees.