Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy,
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,
To The Justice Department's Announcement
Of A Proposed Settlement With Microsoft
Nov. 2, 2001

"I look forward to reviewing the settlement to see whether it builds on the hard-fought wins of the Justice Department under the last administration to protect both consumer and business interests.

"The Senate Judiciary Committee has closely monitored high-tech competition issues over the last few years, and we will continue to do so. The terms of the settlement and its implementation will be the focus of future hearings. We will want to hear from the Justice Department, and other affected parties, about whether the remedies ensure that consumers get high-quality and innovative products at reasonable prices. We will want to examine whether competitors have adequate opportunities to provide those products and computer manufacturers have the freedom to configure their machines as they think best, and whether the remedies are sufficiently adaptable to the constantly changing competitive environment of the Internet and computer industries."