05 LC 25
3881
House
Resolution 113
By:
Representatives Forster of the
3rd,
Loudermilk of the
14th,
Lewis of the
15th,
Murphy of the
23rd,
Parsons of the
42nd,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Urging
the United States Senators from the State of Georgia to support a repeal of the
federal excise tax on telecommunications; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the federal excise tax on communications was enacted in 1898 for the purpose of
funding the Spanish-American War; and
WHEREAS,
the tax was introduced as a "temporary" luxury tax; and
WHEREAS,
telephone service is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity for consumers of
all income levels; and
WHEREAS,
the federal excise tax is regressive, as low-income Americans pay a higher
percentage of their income for telephone services than high-income Americans;
and
WHEREAS,
telecommunications services are the infrastructure upon which new technologies
including the Internet depend, and, therefore, the telecommunications excise tax
discourages expansion of both the telephone infrastructure and new technologies;
and
WHEREAS,
the federal excise tax on telecommunications flows into the general fund rather
than being earmarked for a specific purpose; and
WHEREAS,
both Houses of Congress passed a repeal of the federal excise tax on
telecommunications in 2000, which was vetoed by President William Jefferson
Clinton.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that the members of
this body urge our United States Senators to support a repeal of the federal
excise tax on telecommunications.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit appropriate copies of this resolution to the United
States Senators from the State of Georgia.