Senators Pryor, Blunt Introduce Amendment To Protect Consumers, Prevent Any New Taxes On Internet Use

Press Release

U.S. Senators Mark Pryor (D-AR) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced a bipartisan amendment to the Marketplace Fairness Act today that would ensure fairness for online retailers and consumers by preventing additional taxes on Internet access.

In 2007, Congress unanimously passed the Internet Tax Freedom Act to prohibit states and localities from imposing new taxes on Internet access through services like cable, satellite, and DSL. Unfortunately, this provision is set to expire on November 1, 2014. The Pryor/Blunt amendment would extend this moratorium for 10 years. Pryor and Blunt said their amendment would also prevent double taxation by multiple states on a single transaction.

"From healthcare services to small business interactions, Americans rely on Internet access and services to stay connected. Congress needs to support Internet growth, not stifle it with taxes," said Pryor, Chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet. "Our amendment would extend current law to ensure businesses and every day citizens have reliable and affordable Internet access."

"This is an important amendment to extend current law, which protects Americans from any taxes on Internet use. Online commerce is the way of the future and is critical to growing private sector jobs, and we shouldn't ever do anything to inhibit online sales," said Blunt, a member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet. "The Marketplace Fairness Act does not create a new tax, and it does not tax consumers' internet usage -- which I strongly oppose. The amendment I'm co-sponsoring with Senator Pryor is an extra step to prevent any new taxes on access to the Internet, protect consumers from double taxation by multiple states on a single transaction, and ensure that online retailers are not unfairly subjected to higher taxes than main street businesses."

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