Author and researcher Matt Stoller said Monday that the recent advancement of antitrust bills in the House aimed at Big Tech companies is indicative of Congress “relearning how to govern” after having deferred many decisions to regulators in the past.
The House Judiciary Committee advanced five antitrust bills last week with bipartisan support. Appearing on Hill.TV, Stoller said he doubted that the bills would pass in the current session of Congress, but predicted that they likely would in the next three or four years.
Stoller noted that a key development during the hearings last week was when Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) suggested to Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), a sponsor of one of the bills, that they take this legislation to the Supreme Court instead of going to regulators, which Jayapal appeared to be receptive to, according to Stoller.
“Congress has to relearn how to govern. They have to make very specific arguments, they have to make very specific policy decisions in statute and so these bills — while they had some weaknesses — they’re a real step forward for Congress kind of relearning how to govern,” Stoller said.
He added, however, that he doesn’t believe Big Tech companies are concerned with the recent developments.
“I don’t think tech is going to be worried — Big Tech per se — is going to be worried until something happens, right? So they won’t believe that anything’s going to happen until something happens, which is to say a breakup, handcuffs on someone, something meaningful that constrains their power,” Stoller said.
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