Dale Bumpers: “The reason there is an objection is because the Senator from New Hampshire and the Senator from Oregon do not come from…”

“The reason there is an objection is because the Senator from New Hampshire and the Senator from Oregon do not come from the 45 States that have sales taxes. They are opposed to this because their State is not one of the 45 States that do have a sales or use tax. Secondly, the unanimous consent agreement limits amendments to relevant amendments. If you put mail-order catalog sales in, it is not relevant. That is the reason I confined it to the Internet and asked consent to extend it. That is the reason they objected. They don't have to face a legislature or people back home who passed a sales or use tax on Internet sales coming in from out of State, because their States don't have a sales or use tax. My State does have that use tax, and we would like to collect it. Your revenue departments and your Governors would like to collect it, too. All I am saying is, Internet sales simply ought to state a simple thing--that the goods you are buying could be subject to a use or sales tax in your State; if you want to know whether it does or not, contact your local revenue department. What is wrong with that? Who can oppose that? The taxes have already been passed by the legislature. It is just that they can't collect it unless they stand at the border and intercept every piece of merchandise that comes through the mail or on the highway. They can't do it.”