By David Ingram

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told Congress on Wednesday that his antitrust enforcers would go on targeting traditional industries such as agriculture, airlines, communications and healthcare.

Holder spoke at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about Department of Justice operations, his first appearance before lawmakers since President Barack Obama pledged to keep Holder in his job into a second term.

The department's antitrust policies are under particular scrutiny because there is a newly installed chief of the Antitrust Division, Assistant Attorney General William Baer.

Holder did not comment on specific deals pending before the Antitrust Division, such as the proposed merger of AMR Corp's American Airlines and US Airways Group.

In questioning Holder, Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, mentioned several industries facing potential scrutiny and asked Holder to describe the direction of antitrust policy.

Holder named the four industries - agriculture, airlines, communications and healthcare - and added, "all things that impact the American consumers."

"What we've tried to do in the Antitrust Division is to focus our efforts in such a way that we benefit the American people with regard to lower prices, more competition," he said.

When the government finds illegal activity, "we will be there," he added.

Klobuchar is the new chairwoman of the Senate's antitrust subcommittee. She succeeded Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, who retired from the Senate two months ago.

Her subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing this month on the proposed American Airlines-US Airways deal, which would create the largest U.S. airline.

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