I saw that Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act, which will help propel Arizona as a leading center for research, science and technology in the country. That’s great for Arizona and finally Congress is realizing the things they can agree on, instead of sitting in a partisan deadlock. There are more opportunities for Congress to get bills passed that will make a difference in our everyday lives.
One opportunity that I hope they will pass soon is the Open App Markets Act. This bipartisan bill has been introduced in both the House and the Senate. Seeking to create a level playing field for the small and medium app developers in the major platforms, this bill would correct some of the most egregious practices of the big tech platforms, namely Apple and Google, and seeks to foster innovation. Currently, the app developers are required to use Apple and Googles payment systems for in app purchases, and are charged exorbitant fees, up to 30% per transaction to do so. Big tech also promoted their own apps over those of the developers. This bill would fix these problems and many more.
In the end, we all lose under the current system. I hope Congress acts sooner rather than later to pass this important bill. In the end, we all will be better off.
Regards,
Jeffrey Wallace
Cave Creek
