Washington, DC – Today, Senator Mike
Lee (R-UT), Ranking Member of the Antitrust Subcommittee of the Senate
Committee on the Judiciary, commented on the Department of Justice’s decision
to impose stringent conditions on Google’s acquisition of ITA Software and
reiterated his call for antitrust oversight of Google’s search-related
businesses. 

“Today’s announcement by the
Department of Justice (DOJ) outlining rigorous conditions for Google’s proposed
acquisition of ITA Software is an important step in applying antitrust laws to
the company’s predominant position in the realm of Internet search,” said
Senator Lee.  “As the DOJ recognized, Google’s
unique presence as an Internet gatekeeper raises serious concerns about
activities that may limit competition, reduce consumer choice, and thwart
innovation.  Continued scrutiny is
essential as Google extends its reach into a variety of vertical search markets
and online services.  As a member of the
Antitrust Subcommittee, I will continue to work to ensure vibrant competition
in this and other areas of our economy.”

On March 10, 2011, Senator Lee
sent a letter to the Subcommittee Chairman Senator Herb Kohl calling for
oversight hearings into Google’s practices that could harm competition, and
specifically pointed to the acquisition of ITA Software, which powers sites
like Kayak, Travelocity, and
Orbitz.

“As you know, the DOJ is in the process of determining
whether to approve Google’s proposed acquisition of ITA Software – a deal that
could potentially provide Google with the ability to control the travel search
vertical market,” Senator Lee wrote.

“Oversight by our
Subcommittee is essential in helping free markets flourish in this important
area of our economy.  Ensuring robust competition will benefit consumers,
spur innovation, and lead to job creation in our nation’s high-tech Internet
economy,” Senator Lee added. “Vigorous antitrust enforcement is almost always
preferable to a system of government regulations, which will inevitably be more
costly and less efficient than a free market unencumbered by anticompetitive
restrictions.”