We’re knee deep in the hearing for S. 2992— the American Innovation and Choice Online Act and it’s clear the mark-up is not about substantive discussion but currying politically motivated talking points.
When America’s legislative process is designed to empower the people, it’s unfair to watch a legislative process that only takes lawmakers into account. Repeatedly, during the markup, the bill sponsors have called on their colleagues to hold their comments, table their amendments, and work with them behind closed doors – away from public scrutiny.
We hope that the Senate addresses dozens of critical questions about how this bill affects privacy, cybersecurity, competition, and innovation.
These include:
- Why the bill covers only a few businesses
- Why the threshold was chosen and how it is being justified
- Why this bill destroys the consumer welfare standard
- How this bill’s self-preferencing sections could share private data with untrusted vendors
- Why the bill picks an unelected, independent bureaucrat to regulate the economy from a political lens
- Why there was no hearing where experts, economists, and professionals could provide public input
- What industries could be regulated outside of tech through amendments to this legislation
These are just a few of a long list of unanswered questions we have. To find them all, please click here. We hope that the Senate comes to their senses and holds the substantive discussion necessary to protect Americans and their online experience.