Statement on Signing the Local Government Antitrust Act of 1984

Today I am signing into law H.R. 6027, the Local Government Antitrust Act of 1984, which clarifies the application of the Federal antitrust laws to the official conduct of local governments. This bill provides much needed and timely relief for our cities, towns, school districts, sanitary districts, and other similar local governmental bodies from the threat of massive treble damages in the antitrust cases that are being brought with increasing frequency against them. While the antitrust laws serve very important purposes, they were never intended to threaten public treasuries and the taxpayers' pocketbooks, or to disrupt the good faith functioning of local units of governments. The administration has been a strong supporter of this legislation, and commend the efforts of the local and those in the Senate and House of representatives who worked so hard for its enactment during the 98th Congress.