Coalition Wants Schumer To Call A Vote on Antitrust Bill

Twenty advocacy called on Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) this Wednesday, June 1st, urging the lawmaker to call a vote on a bipartisan antitrust bill that aims to limit tech giants, The Hill reported.

“This is an opportunity to pass legislation that will immediately result in a concrete increase in competition in an industry that touches the lives of every American, and we must not pass it up. We are pleased that you intend to bring [the American Innovation and Choice Online Act] to the floor, and urge you to act as quickly as is practical,” the groups wrote in a Thursday letter, according to a copy first provided to The Hill. 

The letter is signed by groups including Demand Progress, Center for Digital Democracy, Athena and Public Citizen. The push follows an Axios report last month that Schumer intends to put the bill up for a vote by early summer.

The bill advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in January with bipartisan support. A version of the bill advanced out of the House Judiciary Committee last year, along with other antitrust proposals as part of a marathon markup session.

Big Tech companies such as Amazon have come out against the antitrust bill, originally presented by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Chuck Grassley (both Democrats), alleging the changes unfairly target the company – seemingly favoring traditional retailers such as Wal Mart or drug retailer CVS, with similar practices, over the e-commerce giant – and warning of possible losses in innovation and consumer benefits.

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