Telecommunications
The nation’s telecommunications industry holds potential for tremendous
growth and innovation provided it has the appropriate regulatory
framework and is kept free from the stifling forces of taxation.
As an engineer, former small businessman, and a Member of the Senate
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Senate
Republican High Tech Task Force, John understands these principles,
and has taken a leadership role on Capitol Hill in bringing them
to bear on two specific areas – broadband voice and the Internet.
Broadband voice (also known as Voice Over Internet Protocol or VoIP)
is at a watershed moment and must be dealt with through clear national
standards. Subjecting it to individual state jurisdictions is the
wrong approach, and one that would hamper investment and slow its
deployment to consumers. And, to preserve its potential for future
growth, the Internet must remain free from access taxes that will
only slow its ability to expand and provide products and services
to consumers.
In his first term in the United States Senate, John has been effective
in ensuring that telecommunications tools including broadband voice
and the Internet are able to flourish through the following pieces
of legislation:
• “The Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act of 2003”
John played an integral role in drafting the “Internet Tax Non-Discrimination
Act of 2003” – legislation to extend the ban on Internet access
taxes, which President Bush signed into law on December 3, 2004.
The law – which extends and broadens the existing “Internet Tax
Freedom Act” by keeping the Internet free from access and other
discriminatory taxes until October 31, 2007 – represents a milestone
for millions of Americans who use the Internet each day to gather
information and conduct business. While John strongly supports a
permanent ban on Internet access taxes, this measure keeps the Internet
free from burdensome taxation for three years.
John believes that the Internet should remain tax free – not an
endless source of revenue for every state, county, and town in the
nation. By protecting it from taxation, we encourage growth, investment,
and the expansion of products and services available to consumers.
The Senate passed the “Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act of 2003”
by a vote of 93-3 on April 29, 2004. John is an original co-sponsor
of the bill, which Senator George Allen (R-VA) introduced in January
of 2003. At that time, the legislation permanently extended the
existing moratorium on discriminatory and multiple Internet taxes.
• “The VoIP Regulatory Freedom Act of 2004”
To encourage continued investment in and use of broadband voice
for sending voice traffic, and in order to make sure consumers continue
to have the benefits of lower costs, new features, and better service
that is the potential for this technology, John introduced the “VoIP
Regulatory Freedom Act of 2004” on April 5, 2004.
One of the first legislative efforts to address this growing area
of Internet Protocol, the measure is designed to preserve the free
regulatory framework that has allowed broadband voice applications
to reach mainstream consumers and holds that broadband voice is
an interstate matter that must be dealt with through clear national
standards.
Despite the addition of questionable amendments during the July
22, 2004, mark-up of the legislation, the Commerce Committee took
an important step forward in sending a clear and basic message:
Congress does not want states implementing regulations that will
inhibit this emerging technology.
John will continue to work with Congressman Chip Pickering (R-MS)
on this issue.
Further information regarding the Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation can be found at: www.commerce.science.gov
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