Sheila Jackson Lee: “I have a number of letters to include for the Record. One is from Tom McGee, the President and CEO of the International…”

“I have a number of letters to include for the Record. One is from Tom McGee, the President and CEO of the International Council of Shopping Centers. One is from the NRF. One is from the AFL-CIO. December 10, 2015. Dear Representative: On behalf of the 70,000 members of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), I am writing to urge you to oppose the conference report on H.R. 644, Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act, which contains a non-germane provision permanently extending the Internet Tax Freedom Act (PITFA). This is considered a key vote for ICSC. Because PITFA was included without being paired with long awaited remote sales tax collection legislation, the added fiscal pressure being put on states and local governments will result in less funds for first responders and infrastructure and additional pressure to increase other state and local taxes such as sales or property taxes. This will truly add insult to injury for thousands of local businesses across the country. As an organization, ICSC supports PITFA but strongly believes that a permanent restriction on states' ability to tax telecommunications services should absolutely be linked with the restoration of states' rights to collect sales taxes that are already owed in 45 states today. It is not only a missed opportunity to pursue good policy, but the manner in which this provision is being advanced certainly represents a departure from regular order.…”