Washington, D.C. — As the Biden administration’s agenda continues to enjoy significant victories across the economy, the Tech Oversight Project, American Economic Liberties Project, and 22 organizations today sent a letter to Congressional leaders and the White House urging them to oppose proposed appropriations text that would limit funding to the Department of Justice Antitrust Division.
“The current appropriations language would take the cop off the beat when it comes to white collar crime, which would lead to higher prices, less competition, and even more market consolidation in not just tech but our entire economy,” said Sacha Haworth, Executive Director of the Tech Oversight Project. “Congress and the Biden Administration notched a major win in holding Big Tech companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, and Meta accountable by passing the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act last Congress, and it would be short-sided and foolish to reverse course. If passed, this language would be a disaster for our economy, lead to higher prices for everyone, and give Big Tech and other companies that break the law a massive handout. That’s why we call on Senate leaders to come back to the table and reverse course on the existing language that would strip the Department of Justice Antitrust Division of its ability to do its job and enforce laws on the books.”
“At a time when consumers and workers are suffering the consequences of concentrated markets, limiting the DOJ Antitrust Division’s funding is not just irresponsible, it’s a direct threat to the health of our economy,” said Morgan Harper, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project. “We cannot let appropriators ignore hard-fought progress in antitrust policy, like the passing of the bipartisan Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act. Congress and the White House must ensure the Antitrust Division receives full funding to protect working families, competition, and the economy from corporate lawbreaking.”
The letter, led by the Tech Oversight Project and American Economic Liberties Project, highlights the crucial role that the DOJ Antitrust Division plays in holding big corporate monopolies accountable, blocking harmful mergers, and promoting competition across the economy. After being understaffed and under-resourced for decades, the bipartisan Merger Filing Fees Modernization Act of 2022 provided a new pathway for funding for the Antitrust Division. The proposed cuts in the recently released appropriations text and report language threaten to undo this progress, which would leave consumers vulnerable to the unchecked power of monopoly power.
The more than 20 advocacy organizations urge Congress and the White House to reject any appropriations language that undermines the DOJ Antitrust Division’s budget, emphasizing the importance of this issue for consumer wellbeing and the integrity of market competition.
Read the full letter here.