Keep the Internet Free!
Letters
SRQ DAILY
SATURDAY JUL 19, 2014 |
BY U.S. REP. VERN BUCHANAN
When you surf the internet—to check on a movie time, read emails or research a product—you do so free of charge and free from censorship.
The Internet in America has been free since its inception—and we need to keep it that way!
That’s why this week, I supported legislation to prohibit government at any level from taxing access to the Internet. The bipartisan measure passed the House and now moves to the Senate.
The Internet is a powerful resource used daily by millions of Americans to conduct business, access education, communicate with family and friends and more. Its rapid proliferation is the result of American innovation, free of government intrusion. The United States must not follow in the footsteps of restrictive societies like China, Iran and North Korea that seek to regulate the Internet as a means of suppressing their populace.
Specifically, the House-passed bill (H.R. 3086) would permanently extend the current tax moratorium that prevents states and localities from levying taxes on Internet access. Its passage is absolutely critical because the 1998 law banning Internet taxation is set to officially expire on Nov. 1. Failure to renew the ban could place a substantial burden on American families.
The National Taxpayers Union hailed the bipartisan proposal, saying “any nation seeking to remain technologically and economically competitive should not punish the very citizens who are reaching out into the digital realm, especially by levying charges that are unlikely to have anything to do with bettering Internet service.” I couldn’t agree more.
America has always been a beacon of freedom, and we must continue to lead as a model for other nations in this digital age. At a time when countless Americans are struggling to pay their bills, the last thing we need is a new tax that hinders access to a free and open Internet.
As always, please let me know what you think!
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota
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