(Politico) TECH ANTITRUST LAWS BY AUGUST? — Speaking virtually to a conference in Brussels, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), the top GOP member of House Judiciary’s antitrust panel said he expects three antitrust reforms — legislation to increase merger filing fees, bar tech giants from preferencing their own products and force Apple and Google to open up their app stores to greater competition — will become law this summer.
Reality check: The legislation on merger filings was included in both the House and Senate versions of the China competitiveness bill, but neither chamber has yet taken up the other bills. House Judiciary advanced them along with a package of other measures last summer and Senate Judiciary voted on both earlier this year.
Buck said he doesn’t think a fourth bill — one that would force the tech giants to make it easier for consumers to move their data to rival products — will make it through this year. But he pledged to continue pushing for such interoperability legislation next year — a key endorsement, should Republicans take back the House after the November elections.
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