WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, US Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, issued the following statement in response to the announcement that Internet company Yahoo will begin a two-week test advertising partnership with Google.

"We will be following closely the results of the short-term test alliance between Yahoo! and Google. Should there be moves to make this agreement permanent, we will examine it closely in the Antitrust Subcommittee to ensure that it does not harm competition.

"Following closely on the heels of Google's acquisition of DoubleClick, this Google-Yahoo alliance would represent even further consolidation in the internet advertising market.

"We must ensure that this consolidation does not foreclose needed competition or harm consumers."