Political Quotes

“I have refrained from getting into this discussion about the moratorium on Internet taxes up to this point, but I need to voice some comments because I am one of the people who has been working on this issue for the last 18 months and was a part of the debate we had 18 months ago that put the current moratorium into effect. I thank Senator Graham from Florida, who has been intensely involved. He has been one of the main people who has provided a connection with Congress and State legislators. I thank Senator Ron Wyden, the Senator from Oregon, for his intense interest. I think probably the number of hours the Senator from Oregon and I, and Senator McCain, Senator Kerry, Senator Dorgan, and Senator Graham have spent in meetings on this issue, which has not been a specific bill, probably exceeds the time spent on any other issue that was not actually a bill, which indicates the intensity of the need there is to resolve the issue nationwide. Particularly since the events of September 11, there has been a drain on resources for cities, towns, counties, and States as they have put more security in place, as they have provided for the difficulties that have happened in their States. Most of them rely on a sales tax to be able to do that. Education is another area heavily funded by sales taxes. Those States that collect sales taxes and rely on sales taxes have been intensely interested that their right to collect sales taxes is not taken away.”