Attorney General Bonta Joins Bipartisan Coalition in Support of Congressional Efforts to Modernize Federal Antitrust Laws

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a bipartisan coalition of 32 attorneys general in support of Congressional efforts to modernize federal antitrust laws. In a letter to House and Senate leaders, the coalition expressed support for the principles behind six bills currently moving through Congress. These include the continued consideration of the Ending Platform Monopolies Act, the American Choice and Innovation Online Act, the Platform Competition and Opportunity Act, the Augmenting Compatibility and Competition by Enabling Service Switching (“ACCESS”) Act, the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act, and the State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act. The coalition also encourages Congress to work with the states in its antitrust efforts and offers their assistance and expertise in crafting federal legislation.

“The last time Congress passed a comprehensive update to federal antitrust laws was many decades ago – before tech companies like Facebook or Google even existed,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Competition and innovation are essential to a functioning and thriving economy that works for and benefits us all. Modernization of our antitrust laws is long overdue and broadly supported. Today, I’m proud to join a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general in urging Congress to strengthen state and federal antitrust enforcement efforts by updating these laws."

Updated antitrust legislation is required to respond to changes in technology, decreased competition in important sectors, and judicial skepticism towards robust antitrust enforcement. In the letter, the coalition commends the antitrust bills as steps in the right direction. The coalition also urges Congress to include in the proposed legislation provisions confirming that the states are sovereigns that stand on equal footing with federal enforcers under federal antitrust law, including with regard to the timing of challenging anticompetitive mergers and other practices.

Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Colorado, Nebraska, New York, Tennessee, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

A copy of the letter can be found here.