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| Wilson Votes To Ban Internet Taxes |
October 18, 2007 |
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H.R. 3678 Would Extend Moratorium on Internet Taxes for Four Years
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Heather Wilson voted today in favor of H.R. 3678, the Internet Tax Freedom Act Amendments Act of 2007, to extend the moratorium on internet taxes for another four years. It passed by a vote of 405-2. This bill amends the original Internet Tax Freedom Act, which in 1998 established a temporary ban on state and local governments' abilities to tax Internet access. The current law is set to expire on November 1, 2007.
Wilson is in favor of a permanent ban on internet taxes, and is a cosponsor of H.R. 743, the Permanent Internet Tax Act.
“I support a permanent ban on internet taxes. I am concerned that not permanently extending this tax moratorium could lead to double taxation of a product or service bought over the Internet,” said Wilson.
H.R. 3678 was considered under a suspension of the rules. Bills taken up on the suspension calendar, which is typically reserved for non-controversial legislation, require a two-thirds majority to pass and provide for limited debate with no amendments.
Members of the Republican Leadership wrote a letter to Majority Leader Hoyer, urging him to take the bill off the suspension calendar. Instead, they wrote, Members should have the chance to change the bill’s language to make the Internet ban permanent.
Their letter states that most Members are behind a permanent ban, as evidenced by the collective 242 sponsors or cosponsors of two bills, H.R. 743 and H.R. 1077, which seek a permanent moratorium.
“This support is broad and bipartisan, with 88 Democrats and 154 Republicans calling for a permanent ban,” said Minority Leader John Boehner and Minority Whip Roy Blunt in the letter. “A permanent extension is also consistent with the past actions of the House, which passed a permanent ban in 2003.”
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