Washington, D.C. — U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley issued the following statement today in advance of tomorrow’s scheduled markup in the Senate Judiciary Committee of S.2992, the “American Innovation and Choice Online Act”:
"The Chamber strongly opposes the misnamed American Innovation and Choice Online Act. This bill will raise prices, reduce choices for American families, limit opportunities for small businesses, and harm our economy.
“This bill is the definition of the government picking winners and losers in the marketplace, arbitrarily subjecting certain companies to one set of rules and everyone else, including their competitors, to a separate set. It gives federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, which is already engaged in extensive overreach, the power to micromanage a large sector of the economy. In the future, the government will decide whether a company can innovate, lower prices, or offer free shipping and other services. And whether such vigorous competition is ‘unfair.’
“The companies that are being targeted are the very ones that had the scale and innovation to help us through the pandemic, whether that was enabling millions to work remotely, get essentials delivered to our front door, or seamlessly bring entertainment into our homes. These companies, contrary to popular belief, are helping fuel a dynamic, competitive economy.
“The Senate Judiciary Committee is moving forward on this legislation without the benefit of even a full committee hearing. The Chamber is confident that any objective review will lead to the conclusion that this current proposal remains significantly flawed and should not become law.”
