Congresswoman Tenney Introduces Bipartisan Main Street Competes Act to Support Small Businesses

Press Release

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) today introduced the bipartisan Main Street Competes Act with Congresswoman Marie Newman (IL-03). This important legislation would expand the mission of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to promote competitive markets, consumer choice, and business ownership.

Specifically, the Main Street Competes Act would grant the SBA authority to study and report on the extent that antitrust enforcement protects small businesses' ability to compete while also eliminating anticompetitive market barriers for small businesses. The bill would also expand the Office of Advocacy to assess how effectively antitrust enforcement promotes competition and deters harmful conduct against small businesses.

"The Main Street Competes Act will give small businesses a voice in federal antitrust enforcement to protect them and consumers from the growing threat of large monopolies," said Congresswoman Tenney. "Small businesses provide essential goods and services and create well-paying local jobs. The Small Business Administration is supposed to be an advocate for small businesses within the federal government, yet too often it is shut out from important discussions in Washington about how antitrust laws are enforced. This bill will make sure small business advocates have a seat at the table."

"In this time of economic uncertainty, it's critical that Congress and the federal government have the appropriate tools to measure the competitiveness of America's small businesses," said Congresswoman Newman. "Small businesses are the backbone of communities across America. Leveling the playing field is crucial to the survival of these companies, especially as turbulent times persist for small business owners still recovering from pandemic challenges while facing supply chain disruptions and record inflation.

The Main Street Competition Coalition, a group representing business owners harmed by unfair exercises of market power, endorsed the legislation.

"Main Street applauds Reps. Tenney and Newman for their leadership offering solutions to address anticompetitive conduct that harms the competitiveness of small businesses," said Chris Jones, National Grocers Association senior vice president of government relations and counsel, and head of the Main Street Competition Coalition. "Antitrust laws like the Robinson-Patman Act haven't been enforced in a generation and it's taking a profound toll on Main Street businesses and agriculture producers. It's time for the small business advocate in the federal government, the Small Business Administration, to take stock of whether antitrust law enforcement is achieving its intended purpose of ensuring a competitive climate in which all businesses can compete."

There is considerable debate on whether U.S. antitrust laws are up to the challenge of ensuring free markets in which small businesses can compete and grow in the modern economy. The Big Tech debate centers, in part, around the challenges small businesses face when they are forced to play by the rules of Big Tech corporations and large monopolies. Meanwhile, it remains a turbulent time for small business owners still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and coping with supply chain disruptions and soaring inflation.

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