Ken Calvert: “I strongly support H.R. 3709, the Internet Non-Discrimination Act. Why? Quite simply, an unhindered Internet has brought…”

“I strongly support H.R. 3709, the Internet Non-Discrimination Act. Why? Quite simply, an unhindered Internet has brought the benefits of knowledge, trade and communications to more people in more ways than ever before. H.R. 3709 is not about sales taxes on Internet purchases. The bill in no way stops or restricts states or cities from taxing sales over the Internet. In fact, current rules governing state or local governments' ability to collect regular sales or use taxes on remote sales were set by the U.S. Supreme Court. H.R. 3709 leaves these rules untouched. Instead H.R. 3709 stops new taxes that specifically target Internet access and sales. The bill extends for five years the current Internet tax moratorium, enacted in 1998. The existing moratorium outlaws taxes on Internet access, the double-taxation of a product or service bought over the Internet and discriminatory taxes that treat Internet purchases differently from other types of sales. The bill also ensures that the moratorium on Internet access taxes is equally enforced in all 50 states, for those who rushed to tax Internet access thinking that they could avoid the federal law. Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the Internet Non-Discrimination Act. The Internet should not become subject to special, multiple or discriminatory taxes.”