Washington Post technology reporter: “Don’t look now, but the tent behind [the legislation] is getting pretty big.”

Commerce Secretary Raimondo endorses the American Innovation and Choice Online Act: “I certainly support…and concur with the aim of the legislation.”

Endorsement continues growing momentum for legislation, which recently earned support of the Department of Justice and major labor organizations

WASHINGTON - Support continues to build for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)’s American Innovation and Choice Online Act, with Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo voicing her support for Klobuchar and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)’s bipartisan legislation to restore competition online. 

At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Raimondo said: “I applaud your efforts and…clearly agree that we need to improve competition, which increases innovation…Last month, the DOJ released a views letter on behalf of the administration in support of the American Innovation and Choice Online Act and the [Commerce] Department and I certainly support that and concur with the aim of the legislation.”

Here’s what experts and reporters are saying:

  • Cristiano Lima, technology reporter for The Washington Post, noted: “Don't look now, but the tent behind [the American Innovation and Choice Online Act] is getting pretty big…”
  • Brian Fung, technology and business reporter at CNN wrote: “[Raimondo’s] announcement throws the full weight of the Biden administration behind the bill.”
  • Samuel Stolton, technology and competition reporter for Politico Europe, added: “Significant statement of support for @SenAmyKlobuchar’s #AICO bill from Raimondo here.”
  • Ashley Gold, technology reporter at Axios emphasized: “@SecRaimondo…just told @SenAmyKlobuchar during Sen. Commerce hearing that the Commerce department supports the DOJ letter endorsing the American Innovation and Choice Online Act.”
  • Alex Petros, policy counsel at Public Knowledge said: “Big ???? ?? today from @SecRaimondo, strongly endorsing the @SenAmyKlobuchar/@ChuckGrassley American Innovation and Choice Online Act. Clear that @POTUS Admin is united in reining in Big Tech.”

This endorsement builds on growing momentum for the American Innovation and Choice Online Act. Recently, the Department of Justice voiced its strong endorsement of the legislation, encouraging Congress “to work to finalize this legislation and pass it into law.” 

Recently, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Service Employees International Union, and the Strategic Organizing Center sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging the legislation’s passage. The labor organizations wrote that the legislation “can and will help turn the tide in favor of working people, so they may share in the prosperity they help create every day…and help prevent these digital behemoths from…stifling the equality and fairness in the economy that workers so urgently need and deserve.” Additionally, a coalition of 58 non-profit and public policy organizations also wrote a letter endorsing the bill. 

The Washington Post Editorial Board and Boston Globe Editorial Board have also expressed their support for the legislation. 

In February, the bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a bipartisan vote of 16-6, making it the first major bill on technology competition to advance to the Senate floor since the dawn of the Internet. 

In October, Klobuchar and Grassley introduced the American Innovation and Choice Online Act to set commonsense rules of the road for major digital platforms to ensure they cannot unfairly preference their own products and services. Representatives David Cicilline (D-RI) and Ken Buck (R-CO) lead companion legislation in the House, which passed the House Judiciary Committee by a bipartisan vote of 24-20 last July. 

The Senate legislation is cosponsored by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Kennedy (R-LA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and endorsed by companies including Roku, DuckDuckGo, Yelp, Spotify, and Match Group. Over 35 small and medium-sized tech companies signed a letter supporting this legislation and urging Congress to take action to advance it.

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