House Judiciary Passes 6 Antitrust Bills

The House Judiciary Committee wrapped up the previous day’s markup Thursday by passing its sixth antitrust bill aimed at Big Tech competition (see 2106230063). The Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act (HR-3843), passed 29-12. Republicans voting yes: House Antitrust Subcommittee ranking member Ken Buck, Colo., and Reps. Matt Gaetz, Fla.; Chip Roy, Texas; Victoria Spartz, Ind.; and Burgess Owens, Utah. The State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act, passed 34-7. Republicans voting no on HR-3460: Darrell Issa, Calif.; Tom McClintock, Calif.; Thomas Massie, Ky.; and Michelle Fischbach, Minn. Democrats voting no: Zoe Lofgren, Eric Swalwell and Lou Correa, all from California. The Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching Act, passed 25-19. Republicans voting yes: Buck, Gaetz and Owens. Democrats voting no: Lofgren, Swalwell and Correa. HR-3826, the Platform Competition and Opportunity Act, passed 23-18. Republicans voting for HR-3849: Buck, Gaetz and Dan Bishop, N.C. Democrats voting no: Lofgren, Swalwell and Correa. The American Choice and Innovation Online Act, passed 24-20. Republicans voting for HR-3816: Buck, Gaetz and Owens. Democrats voting no: Lofgren, Swalwell, Correa and Greg Stanton, Ariz. The Ending Platform Monopolies Act (HR-3825) passed 21-20. Republicans voting yes: Buck and Gaetz. Democrats voting no: Lofgren, Swalwell, Correa and Stanton. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters there was “concern on both sides of the aisle about the consolidation of power of the tech companies, and this legislation is an attempt to address that.” Republicans plan to introduce alternative legislation to hold Big Tech accountable, said House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jim Jordan, R-Ohio: “Rather than address Republican concerns of bias and censorship on the internet, Democrats spent the last two days pushing radical antitrust legislation that will systematically change the United States economy.”