Warren, Klobuchar, Scanlon, Lawmakers Urge President Biden to Continue Supporting Efforts to Rein in Big Tech, Reject Lobbying

"We are concerned that opponents of your [competition policy] agenda are continuing their efforts to use trade-related attacks to undermine our allies' efforts to rein in abuses by major technology companies. We urge you to continue to reject claims that the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) constitutes an illegal barrier to trade. The DMA will protect consumers and spur competition in the tech industry. The United States' trade policy must support the European Union's efforts to rein in Big Tech and facilitate similar American policies, rather than impair them.

We were heartened to hear Ambassador Tai, who leads negotiations on digital trade for the U.S., note that in the trade context, domestic regulatory "measures that may look like they have a discriminatory effect may or may not be advanced with a discriminatory intent.' Ambassador Tai correctly observed that the intent behind domestic regulation is critical to determining whether such a policy is in fact discriminatory. The DMA is not discriminatory because it does not target companies, platforms, services, investors or digital products by their national origin. Rather, it establishes a framework for regulating anticompetitive behavior by the largest firms in the digital market.

Under your leadership, the FTC and DOJ have made significant strides in promoting competition to the benefit of workers, consumers, and small businesses, while resisting pressure from huge multinational corporations and their lobbyists. USTR has ensured that your trade policies support, rather than undermine, your administration's goals… Your administration must remain steadfast in the face of Big Tech's misleading trade discrimination claims… to protect the pro-competition priorities that your administration shares with our European allies. "

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