[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 162 (Monday, November 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S14334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  INTERNET TAX NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT

  Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I rise to speak to an amendment S. 150, 
the Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act of 2003.
  Over the past few weeks some have mischaracterized my position 
concerning the Internet tax moratorium and suggested that I supported 
taxing the Internet or, even more inaccurately, that I supported taxing 
e-mail.
  Nothing could be further from the truth, and I welcome the 
opportunity to set the record straight on the floor of the U.S. Senate. 
I have never and will never support taxing e-mail. That's patently 
ridiculous.
  On October 31, 2003, the Cincinnati Enquirer correctly reported my 
opposition on this very important issue:

       Senator George Voinovich of Ohio has been boiled in a 
     witches' cauldron this week by critics angered that he helped 
     block an expanded ban of taxes on Internet services. The 
     current Internet Tax Moratorium, which he supports, expires 
     Saturday. Anti-tax groups making Voinovich out to be the 
     devil incarnate are roasting the wrong guy. Voinovich favors 
     keeping the tax moratorium on Internet access. He helped 
     negotiate the Internet Tax Freedom Act of 1998, supported its 
     renewal in 2001 and opposes new taxes on telecommunications 
     services. And yes, he strongly opposes a tax on e-mail.

  This newspaper and others like it in Ohio have captured the essence 
of my argument. The debate on S. 150 is not about taxing e-mail. This 
debate is about federalism, unfunded mandates, and protecting the 
States' rights to govern their own affairs.
  To clarify my position, I will offer an amendment that expresses the 
sense of the Senate that e-mail should not now, nor in the future, be 
taxed by Federal, State, or local governments.

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