SIIA, TechNet Want Hearing Before Senate Judiciary Antitrust Markup

The Senate Judiciary Committee should hold a legislative hearing before marking up a bill that would ban Big Tech platforms from self-preferencing, TechNet wrote the committee Monday. The American Innovation and Choice Online Act (S-2992) is set for markup Thursday, after being held over one week (see 2201140049). Now isn’t the time for lawmakers to “rush through a bill that would raise costs on hardworking Americans and small businesses across the country,” said Senior Vice President Carl Holshouser: The bill “would fundamentally alter our economy and would negatively impact conveniences that individuals and businesses rely on.” The Software & Information Industry Association is “particularly troubled” that the committee scheduled markup of the bill “without holding even a single hearing,” said Paul Lekas, senior vice president-global public policy. “This is too important a matter to rush and requires a thoughtful approach that creates policy designed to further consumer protection, U.S. innovation, and healthy competition,” said Lekas Wednesday.