Cox Internet bill nearing vote

NEWPORT BEACH -- A local congressman’s push to extend a moratorium on

“discriminatory” taxes on the Internet could face a vote on the House

floor as soon as today.

A bill introduced by Rep. Chris Cox unanimously passed the House

Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, the final step toward a final vote.

“There is unanimous, bipartisan agreement that the Internet should not

be singled out for discriminatory tax treatment,” Cox said. “We will act

expeditiously to pass this legislation.”

Cox is racing against the clock to usher the bill, known as the

Internet Nondiscrimination Act, into law. President Bush has until Oct.

21 to sign it. At that time, a moratorium on new taxes on the Internet is

set to expire.

The bill, a Senate version of which is sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden

(D-Ore.), has been opposed by mayor and governor groups seeking to tap

into the Internet as an additional source of revenue.

In June of 1998, a bill written by Cox and Rep. Rick White (R-Wash.)

imposed the three-year ban. Cox had initially hoped to install an

indefinite ban.

The latest bill would extend the moratorium until 2003 if it becomes

law.

The moratorium would bar more than 10,000 state and local agencies

with taxing authority over the Internet from imposing levies, Cox said.

The moratorium, and bill, would also protect people who buy and sell

products and services over the Internet from interstate commerce charges.

“American consumers and businesses need assurances that online

commerce will not be burdened by perverse tax policies,” Cox said. “This

legislation does exactly that.”