In a letter to all Members of Congress, the Center for Individual Freedom ("CFIF") today joined an impressive coalition of national free-market organizations to urge support for making the ban on Internet access taxes permanent. 

Congress first passed the federal law banning state and local governments from taxing Internet access in 1998. Since then, the moratorium has been extended temporarily five times - a move that has helped keep access to the Internet affordable for citizens and families of all economic levels. But with the current ban on Internet taxes set to expire, consumers could be on the hook for new taxes on their home and mobile Internet services.  In fact, according to a recent report by the American Action Forum, lifting the ban on Internet access taxes could cost consumers up to $16.4 billion.

The time for Congress to make the ban on Internet access taxes permanent is long overdue. Fortunately, the conference report to H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, includes language to do just that. 

The letter, which was organized by the National Taxpayers Union, can be read below or downloaded here (PDF).

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Dear Member of Congress,

On behalf of the millions of members of our organizations, we strongly urge you to support the conference report to H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015. While the bill’s primary subject matter pertains to trade, it also contains a critical pro-taxpayer provision that all Members of Congress should support – a permanent ban on Internet access taxes.

Since 1998, the federal government has prohibited states and localities from imposing such taxes. This has helped Americans from all backgrounds gain access to the Internet. The economic and educational benefits of this policy are vast and immeasurable. It is long past time for Congress to make permanent the ban on Internet access taxes.

We urge you to vote for H.R. 644 and oppose any procedural votes that would hinder the enactment of the permanent Internet tax moratorium. 

Sincerely,

Brandon Arnold, Executive Vice President
National Taxpayers Union

Phil Kerpen, President
American Commitment

Grover Norquist, President
Americans for Tax Reform

Andrew F. Quinlan, President
Center for Freedom and Prosperity

Wayne Crews, Vice President for Policy
Competitive Enterprise Institute

Jeffrey Mazzella, President
Center for Individual Freedom

Tom Schatz, President
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

Katie McAuliffe, Executive Director
Digital Liberty

Hance Haney, Senior Fellow
Discovery Institute

David Williams
Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Tom Giovanetti, President
Institute for Policy Innovation

Seton Motley, President
Less Government

Mike Wendy, President
MediaFreedom.org

Andrew Moylan, Executive Director and Senior Fellow
R Street Institute

David Williams, President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Berin Szoka, President
TechFreedom

Lisa Nelson, CEO
The Jeffersonian Project, An Affiliate of the American Legislative Exchange Council

Joseph Bast, President
The Heartland Institute