SE Nebraska News

Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) has led a group of 20 House Republicans in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to address Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) during his visit to the country. The lawmakers claim that the MSCA creates regulatory barriers targeting American digital companies, which they say restrict innovation and affect productivity.

The letter draws parallels between Japan’s MSCA and the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, stating: "Apparently drawing direct inspiration from the European Union’s highly problematic Digital Markets Act (DMA), Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) targets solely U.S. companies for special rules and obligations that restrict how these companies can conduct business and interact with customers in Japan...No Japanese, Chinese, or other third-country companies are subject to the law."

The representatives also expressed their support for ongoing efforts by the administration to address trade issues affecting U.S. businesses abroad: "We applaud your Administration’s tireless efforts to address longstanding trade barriers that negatively impact U.S. companies operating in foreign markets."

They urged President Trump to discuss this issue with Japan's Prime Minister during his trip: "We encourage you to raise this issue in your upcoming meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, and we stand at the ready to support your efforts to keep bringing down barriers for our world-leading digital companies."

Adrian Smith has been representing Nebraska's 3rd District in Congress since 2007, after serving in the Nebraska Legislature from 1999 until his election to Congress. He was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska in 1970 and currently resides in Gering. Smith is an alumnus of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.