Joe Holleman | Post-Dispatch

Political correspondent/columnist

Conservative GOP U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is teaming once again with liberal Democrat U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, this time to take fire-equipment manufacturers to task for monopolizing the industry.

In his role as chair of a disaster management subcommittee, Hawley last week held equipment company executives' feet to the fire over their practice of buying out small manufacturers.

Hawley contends that private-equity firms have been scooping up independent firetruck manufacturers to the point where just three companies now command 75 percent of the market.

"Your profits have grown five times over the last five years to 250 million dollars, but nobody can get their equipment," Hawley said to the executives.

Hawley also invited

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