WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., today wrote to Federal Communications Chairman Julius Genachowski urging the commission not to subject voice over Internet protocol services to state universal service fees, arguing that the new fees could impact investment, economic growth and broader universal service reform.

“Internet services such as VoIP have been responsible for tremendous growth in the U.S. communications services, software, and equipment industries,” the lawmakers wrote. “Imposing regulation, fees, and taxes could weigh heavily on these markets, create a drag on innovation, and hinder our economy. Doing so through a patchwork of state regimes would exacerbate the effect.

“Such considerations appropriately contributed to the commission’s determination in its 2004 Vonage Order that VoIP is inherently interstate in nature,” Barton and Stearns added. “Ruling that VoIP services are subject to State USF fees would not only contradict recent court decisions that the Vonage Order preempted such fees, it could create disruptive uncertainty by calling into question whether States may impose other regulations on VoIP services.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.