In Letter To GOP Congressional Leaders, Competitiveness Coalition Sounds the Alarm on the Left's Antitrust Agenda

News provided by

Dec 01, 2022, 10:47 ET

Urges McCarthy, McConnell to Hold the Line On S. 2992 & S. 2710 During Lame-Duck

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the 117^th Congress returns for the lame-duck legislative work period, the Competitiveness Coalition today issued a letter to Republican U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urging their respective caucuses to hold the line on harmful antitrust legislation, like the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (S. 2992) and the Open App Markets Act (S. 2710).

The final copy of the letter is pasted below and available here.

"In light of our troubled economy, we request that you whip a 'no' vote should current Democratic leadership attempt a full Senate vote. In the House, we similarly request that you resist any attempts to conflate concerns about content moderation with so-called antitrust regulations."

The two bills are considered the crown jewels of the antitrust agenda championed by the left's most strident antitrust advocates, including U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Both pieces of legislation are expected to be non-starters in a GOP-controlled House, meaning the clock is ticking for the current Congress to act. Indeed, the Biden White House listed the bills on their lame duck priority list and hinted at "stepping up engagement."

The letter lays out a three-part rationale for Congress to oppose the bills, including:

Ignoring the economic concerns of the country
Exacerbating inflation, which even Democratic economists such as Larry Summers have highlighted about these bills
Rewarding Klobuchar's political ambitions

The Coalition concludes their letter by writing, "The results of the elections have created opportunities and obligations for the next Congress. Atop that list is addressing the economic uncertainty coursing throughout our country and our citizens right now. Asked which issue mattered most this year, nearly a third of voters nationwide (32%) said inflation, according to NBC News exit polls. Ensuring that neither S. 2992 nor S. 2710 becomes law would be two productive steps toward fulfilling their mandate."

In addition to its chair, former U.S. Senator and Ambassador Scott Brown, signers of the Competitiveness Coalition's letter included:

Brent Gardner, Chief Government Affairs Officer, Americans for Prosperity
Daniel J. Mitchell, President, Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Curt Levey, President, The Committee for Justice
Ashley Baker, Director of Public Policy, The Committee for Justice
Yaël Ossowski, Deputy Director, Consumer Choice Center
Adam Brandon, President, FreedomWorks
Mario H. Lopez, President, Hispanic Leadership Fund
Douglas Holtz-Eakin
Dr. J. Robert McClure III, President & CEO, The James Madison Institute
Charles Sauer, President, The Market Institute
Pete Sepp, President, National Taxpayers Union
Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
Patrick Hedger, Executive Director, Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Casey Given, Executive Director, Young Voices

Since its inception in April 2022, the Competitiveness Coalition, has issued one previous letter to Congress in July, comparing the passage of S.2992 to, "lighting a match next to a gas leak."

For more information, please visit competitivenesscoalition.com. Members of the press can contact the coalition at [email protected].

The Competitiveness Coalition is a first-of-its-kind group educating the public and advocating for policies that put consumers first while fostering innovation and attracting new investment.

SOURCE Competitiveness Coalition