OpEdNews - Diary: Internet Tax Ban to Expire Unless Pelosi Acts

Ongoing affordable access to the Internet is immediately at risk. A present tax ban on the Internet is quietly set to expire in 2 days, on Oct. 31st, and a current bill to extend the Internet tax ban is still pending and needs our attention.

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Last Thursday HR3678, which bans taxing the Internet for four years, passed the US Senate, but with an amendment. Majority Leader Senator Reid’s office has advised that, because of the amendment, there must now be a Conference Committee of House and Senate members to work out the issues related to the amendment. The sponsor of the bill, U.S. Representative John Conyers’ office advises that the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is the person who must now appoint the members to the Conference Committee. We understand that Speaker Pelosi has not yet appointed the Conference Committee, but that she only has two days left in which to do so before the present Internet tax ban expires.

We need to make calls to Speaker Pelosi’s three offices and say that:

1) We are urging Speaker Pelosi to appoint the Conference Committee IMMEDIATELY, to deal with the amendment, and move the final bill to the White House for signing – in the next two days; and

2) To convene the Internet tax ban bill Conference Committee IMMEDIATELY, which can EASILY be accomplished. It just means a few Representatives and Senators go to a meeting, iron out the amendment, and then the bill is forwarded to the White House. It’s only a few hours of work at most.

3) We're reminding her that the ban on taxing the Internet is very important, as part of "net neutrality" to MILLIONS of Americans and corporations who use the Internet every day.

4) That we MUST ACT QUICKLY TOGETHER NOW to extend the ban on taxing the Internet, or many will no longer be able to afford continuing access to the Internet.

5) Given the strategic timing issues, we thought it helpful and important to call, to remind her that HR3678 is a PRIORITY, and to ask that you kindly relay the message to Speaker Pelosi to please be sure to act on this immediately. Thank you.

Please call her San Francisco and Washington, DC offices EARLY TOMORROW, Tues., October 30th, and the following day, Weds., the 31st:

Speaker of the House Office: 202-225-0100 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT

US Representative Pelosi’s office: 202-225-4965 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT

Representative Pelosi’s office in San Francisco, CA: 415-556-4862 9AM-5PM Pacific

Please be sure to make your calls early on Tues., Oct. 30th, and Weds., Oct. 31st, so that all those who use the Internet will continue to have affordable access! Thank you.