Internet Tax Ban Legislation Approved

INTERNET TAX BAN LEGISLATION APPROVED
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved a four-year extension of a ban on Internet access taxes. The current law is set to expire November 1, and Republicans have complained that their Democratic colleagues are moving too sluggishly to renew the expiring rules. At Wednesday's House Judiciary Committee debate, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) proposed a series of amendments attempting to make the prohibition more lasting--first a permanent ban, then an eight-year extension, then a six-year one. He argued those timetables were preferable to give companies certainty and to encourage broadband adoption by more American households, particularly lower-income families. One by one, the politicians present shot down the amendments. Each of the votes was along party lines, with Republicans voting in favor of the lengthier prohibitions and Democrats shooting them down, with the exception of Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). Her tech-heavy district contains companies that strongly support a permanent Internet tax moratorium.
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9795198-7.html

* FCC Chairman Martin Backs Internet Tax Ban Extension
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin said Wednesday that he supports extending the federal law that bans taxation of high-speed Internet access service provided by cable and phone companies to millions of consumers. “I think that we need do whatever we can to extend the moratorium on Internet taxes for as long as possible,” Martin told reporters after testifying before the House Small Business Committee on FCC rules for a $10 billion spectrum auction set to begin Jan. 24, 2008.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6488767.html