FTC delays vote on supply chain study

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted Thursday to push a vote on a potential study on supply chain disruptions to next week.

The four commissioners in place voted unanimously to delay consideration of the study until Wednesday in order to make some adjustments before finalizing the study regarding what aspects of the supply chain are studied as part of the agency’s 6(b) process. 

“One well crafted study, even if it takes additional time and effort, will save resources in the review of the materials received and prevent the commission from having to issue additional studies in the future,” said Republican Commissioner Christine Wilson, who requested the motion to push the vote to next week.

FTC Chair Lina Khan is facing a board split along party lines as President Biden’s nominee to fill an open spot that would give Democrats an edge awaits confirmation. 

Although Khan voted with fellow commissioners in favor of the motion to punt the vote to next week, she stressed that the issue is a matter of urgency. 

“We’re really at a critical stage during this economic resurgence, and I think it’s really crucial for the commission to be able to expeditiously begin its research efforts in this area. The stakes are really high,” Khan said. 

Khan, a Big Tech critic cheered by progressives before her nomination by Biden, has taken a number of actions since being named chair of the regulatory commission that split the board along party lines. 

Several measures put forward by Khan, such as rescinding policy statements that Khan argued curbed the agency’s ability to act, were opposed by Wilson and fellow Republican Noah Phillips. Khan at the time had the votes to move those measures because former Democratic Commissioner Rohit Chopra was on the FTC.

Chopra has since been confirmed to his new role leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Biden’s nominee to fill the spot, Alvaro Bedoya, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. 

Wilson and Phillips both indicated support for the study, meaning next week’s vote may not be impacted by the partisan split. But until Bedoya is confirmed to the agency, Khan may be blocked from taking other action.