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Chairman

The Honorable James S. Gilmore, III
Governor
Commonwealth of Virginia

Members

Mr. Dean F. Andal
Chairman
California Board of Equalization

Mr. C. Michael Armstrong
Chairman and CEO,
AT&T

Mr. Joseph H. Guttentag
Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy
U.S. Department of the Treasury

The Honorable Paul C. Harris Sr. Delegate
Virginia House of Delegates

The Honorable Delna Jones
Commissioner
Washington County, Oregon

The Honorable Ron Kirk
Mayor
City of Dallas

The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt
Governor
State of Utah

Mr. Gene N. Lebrun
President (1997-1999)
National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws

The Honorable Gary Locke
Governor
State of Washington

Mr. Grover Norquist
President
Americans for Tax Reform

Mr. Robert Novick
General Counsel
U.S. Trade Representative

Mr. Richard Parsons
President
Time Warner, Inc.

Mr. Andrew Pincus
General Counsel
U.S. Department of Commerce

Mr. Robert Pittman
President & Chief Operating Officer
America Online

Mr. David Pottruck
President & co-Chief Executive Officer
Charles Schwab and Company

Mr. John W. Sidgmore
Vice Chairman
MCI WorldCom and Chairman UUNET

Mr. Stanley Sokul
Independent Consultant
Association for Interactive Media

Mr. Theodore Waitt
Chairman
Gateway, Inc.

For Immediate Release
May 4, 2000
Press Contacts:
Debbie Neville
O'Keeffe & Company, Inc.
(703) 883-9000, ext. 104
dneville@okeeffeco.com

Heather Rosenker
Executive Director
Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce
(703) 993-8049
rosenker@gmu.edu

Mark Miner
Press Secretary
Office of the Governor of Virginia
(804) 692-3110
mminer@gov.state.va.us

E-Commerce Commission Proposals Pass First Hurdle in Congress
House Judiciary Committee Passes Amendment Extending Moratorium, Elimination of Internet Access Charges

Arlington, VA - May 4, 2000 - The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce's Report to Congress cleared a major hurdle today with a victory inside the House Judiciary Committee. In today's hearing, the Committee voted overwhelmingly 29-8 to pass an amended version of HR3709, to extend the current moratorium against multiple and discriminatory taxes on Internet another five years, through October 21, 2006. The amended bill also eliminates all taxes on Internet access charges, repealing a grandfather clause currently existing under Federal law. The bill was sponsored by Christopher Cox (R-CA), and was amended by Congressmen Bob Goodlatte, (R-VA) and Rick Boucher, (D-VA). The bill codifies two key Majority Policy Proposals included in the Advisory Commission's Report to Congress.

"This Congressional action validates the Commission's efforts on behalf of the people and the Internet," said Governor Jim Gilmore, III, Commission chairman. "The Committee's action is a constructive step towards tax freedom on the Internet and is a victory for the people of the United States."

"The Judiciary Committee's favorable vote today on some of the key components of the Advisory Commission's Report proves that the Commission process was not an empty exercise, but is having a real impact on Capitol Hill," said Commission member Stan Sokul. "This is great news for the continued dynamism of the Internet economy, and for the American people."

"This is a great victory for tax payers," said Commission member Grover Norquist. "It demonstrates the strength of the Commission's majority Report to Congress. This lays the ground work for even more tax-payer friendly Internet legislation next year."

"The extension of the moratorium is a good first step," said Commission member Dean Andal. "Now the committee can get on with the real business at hand, which is developing clear nexus standards. Developing national bright-line nexus standards was the heart of the U.S. Advisory Commission's Report."

About the Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce

Appointed by Congress in October 1998 as part of the Internet Tax Freedom Act, the 19-member Commission has been tasked with studying the impact of federal, state, local, and international taxation and tariffs on transactions using the Internet and Internet Access. The Commission's recommendations were provided to Congress on April 12, 2000, ahead of the deadline of April 21, 2000.

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