Judiciary Committee Approves First Major Technology Bill on Competition since Dawn of the Internet

01.20.2022

WASHINGTON - Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), respectively the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights, issued the statements below following the Senate Judiciary Committee's approval of the American Innovation and Choice Online Act by a vote of 16-6. Grassley and Klobuchar introduced this legislation in October to restore competition online by stopping dominant digital platforms from unfairly preferencing their own products and services.

"Everyone acknowledges the problems posed by dominant online platforms. Our legislation sets out to level the playing field for small businesses and entrepreneurs who need to operate on these platforms, as well as benefit the consumers that use them. While solutions like these are long overdue, today's committee approval is a huge step forward for consumers and competition in America. I look forward to continued collaboration with Senator Klobuchar and others to get this bill passed in the full Senate," said Grassley.

"American prosperity was built on a foundation of open markets and fair competition, but right now our country faces a monopoly problem, and American consumers, workers, and businesses are paying the price," said Klobuchar. "As dominant digital platforms - some of the biggest companies our world has ever seen - increasingly give preference to their own products and services, we must put policies in place to ensure small businesses and entrepreneurs still have the opportunity to succeed in the digital marketplace. This bill will do just that, while also providing consumers with the benefit of greater choice online. I'm proud to lead this much-needed legislation alongside Senator Grassley, Chair Durbin and a bipartisan group of our colleagues. Now that it has passed the Judiciary Committee, we are one step closer to it passing the Senate and being signed into law."

This legislation is cosponsored by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and endorsed by companies including Roku, DuckDuckGo, Yelp, Spotify and Match Group. Earlier this week, more than 35 small and medium tech companies sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee urging it to advance the legislation.

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