WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and member of the Senate Finance Committee, took to the Senate floor today to call on Congress to pass his Internet Tax Freedom Forever (ITFA) Act, which would make permanent the expiring provision preventing Internet access from being taxed, which would discourage and reduce deployment and investment.

Thune made the following remarks on the Senate Floor, “…the Internet provides unprecedented economic and social benefits. Mom and pop businesses in South Dakota, Oregon, and across America have found access to consumers and new business opportunities that are only possible through the Internet…the moratorium on Internet access taxes has contributed to the Internet now being accessed by hundreds of millions of Americans every day. Thanks to this 16-year ban, consumer access to the Internet is free from state and local taxation for nearly all Americans…The moratorium also benefits consumers by prohibiting multiple and discriminatory taxes on goods and services sold over the Internet…My bill with Finance Committee Chairman Wyden provides for a permanent extension of the moratorium. By passing a permanent extension, we’ll provide certainty to Internet consumers in every state.”