The House’s antitrust chairman is pushing for a moratorium on mergers until the pandemic ends, warning that a “buying spree” by well-heeled companies and investors could wipe outcompetition from smaller players amid the cratering economy.

In an interview with POLITICO, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) said he is pushing for the next coronavirus package to ban deals that aren’t directly related to companies about to fail.

His proposal would allow transactions only if a company is already in a bankruptcy or is otherwise about to fail. Any other deals would be on hold at least until the national pandemic declaration is lifted.

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