Amazon Contacted Small Businesses Warning Of The Negative Effects Of Monopoly Laws

The laws in question were passed last June by the House Judiciary Committee in a bipartisan effort that included six bills. They will next go to the House floor for a vote:

Ending Platform Monopolies Act

Presented by Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Ken Buck (R-Colo.), this law prohibits Big Tech from engaging in mergers that would enhance or reinforce monopoly power and eliminate competitors or potential competitors.

American Choice and Innovation Online Act

This law, introduced by Reps. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Gooden (R-Texas), aims to restore competition online and prevent Big Tech platforms from using their power over their marketplaces to “pick winners and losers” and favor their own products. It’s aimed to ensure the marketplace is fair and free from abusive power.

The Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act

Proposed by Reps. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), this act provides resources to the DOJ and the FTC to help them enforce anti-trust laws designed to curb monopolies. It does this by increasing filing fees for large transactions and reducing the fees for small transactions. It also ensures that mergers that will take more agency time pay more than mergers requiring less time.

State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act

This law is designed to ensure that state attorney generals who bring forward antitrust cases in federal court do not face delays or higher costs for bringing the case to higher courts. Reps. Buck (R-Colo.) and Cicilline (D-R.I.) presented it.

Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching Act

This rule, proposed by Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.) and Burgess Owens (R-Utah) gives the FTC new authority and enforcement tools that it may use to create pro-competitive rules for online data exchange and data portability.

“I am extremely proud of the bipartisan legislation passed by the Committee, which levels the playing field for innovators and entrepreneurs, provides more opportunities for small businesses, and brings increased choice to American consumers,” he said. “By reining in anti-competitive abuses, our legislation ensures there is a space for opportunity and innovation to thrive online.”