[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4472-S4473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              APPOINTMENT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair announces on behalf of the majority 
leader, pursuant to Public Law 105-277, the appointment of Delna Jones 
of Oregon, Representative of Local Government, as a member of the 
Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce, vice James Barksdale.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, the Internet is nearly a ubiquitous aspect 
of American life. It goes without saying ``electronic commerce''--e-
commerce--has become a central aspect for buying products and services. 
Only two years ago five million households shopped for some product on 
the Internet. Last year that number doubled. Now the forecast for this 
year is that

[[Page S4473]]

nearly 15 million households will let their keyboards do the work. This 
is a threefold increase of shoppers in only two years. One can also 
look at the dollar volume affected, which is predicted to double to 
$31B this year.
  Mr. President, city, county and state officials are understandably 
overwhelmed by this Internet Tsunami--15 million homes spending $31 
billion. I have spent time talking with these public officials. I have 
listened to their views. They are frightened, and they have legitimate 
concerns about their sales tax base. However, electronic commerce will 
not end Main Street as we now know it. I am confident public policy 
will evolve to deal with the new electronic marketplace in a fair and 
balanced manner.
  Although the Internet is currently accessed by almost 40 million 
American homes, less than half are using the Internet for commerce 
purposes. This tells me there are issues that need to be addressed 
beyond how the sales tax is treated--issues like encryption, privacy 
and digital signatures--all necessary components for vibrant Internet 
commerce. I hope Congress will examine and act on these issues during 
the 106th Congress, while the Advisory Commission on Electronic 
Commerce works on the tax implications.
  The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce must complete its 
report promptly so the information is available to Congress before the 
moratorium on new Internet taxes ends. Mr. President, the report date 
does not need to be extended. I am very impressed with Governor Jim 
Gilmore's leadership of the Commission and his aggressive technology 
agenda. I commend him for his progress thus far, and I know he will 
deliver on time a fair and balanced report.
  Mr. President, let me back up and say a few words about the 
Commission. This provision was part of the compromise Representative 
Chris Cox worked out with state and local government associations. His 
efforts precipitated the legislative process and culminated in the bill 
becoming law. I want to thank Representative Cox for proposing and fine 
tuning the Commission. I consulted with him as Congress worked to get 
this Commission up and running and appreciate his diligence and insight 
throughout the process.
  Mr. President, today I also want to commend my friend Jimmy Barksdale 
for graciously volunteering to step down from the Commission. He and I 
both agree that the issues surrounding the Internet are too important 
to let individuals and personal agendas get in the way. Jimmy decided 
to step aside so the Commission can get beyond the disruptive law suit. 
Let me say a few words about why I selected Jimmy in the first place--I 
wanted a Mississippian who could bring Southern common sense and wisdom 
to the evolving public policy for the Internet. Jimmy knows what it 
takes to create a new marketplace and he understands the interplay and 
context for each facet of the telecommunications sector, especially 
since the Telecommunications Act of 1996 empowered many sectors to 
compete with each other.
  I have selected Ms. Delna Jones to fill the vacancy. Ms. Jones is a 
public official who brings the Commission into a balance between public 
and private sector interests. Ms. Jones is a county official from 
Washington County, Oregon, thus ensuring that each layer of local 
government is now represented. Ms. Jones is from a non-sales tax state 
which now means all state configurations for income and sales tax 
approaches are present. Ms. Jones also worked for a telecommunications 
company and is no stranger to this aspect of the communication world. 
Ms. Jones will provide the Commission a voice for the 46% of all 
Internet users who are female. Ms. Jones has been recognized by the 
National Federation of Independent Business which tells me she is 
sensitive to the needs of small business--a key component of our 
economy. Her background brings a valuable professional richness to the 
Commission. Senator Gordon Smith both knows and has served with Ms. 
Jones in Oregon's state legislature. He believes she has the right mix 
of professional and personal skills to make a meaningful and 
significant contribution to the Commission.
  Mr. President, I want the record to be clear. The Commission's 
imbalance was not created by me, and it is unfortunate that those who 
did not fulfill the law's mandate were paralyzed and unable to offer a 
real fix. I have stepped up to the problem and changed one of my 
selections. Evolving Internet public policy is just too important to be 
held hostage. I want America to have a vibrant electronic communication 
and commerce medium for the 21st Century.
  I also want to challenge the members of the Advisory Commission on 
Electronic Commerce to focus and produce recommendations that will 
assist Congress in making the right public policy for the Internet.
  Mr. President, today 37 million Americans will click on the Internet 
for something, perhaps a purchase. They need and deserve the right 
public policy--a policy this Commission can and will influence. We 
should not be afraid of this technology shift--the Internet's Tsunami, 
e-commerce--nor should we ignore the consequences of how America's 
commerce is or should be structured to ensure the prosperity and 
vitality of America's 21st Century electronic economy.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.

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