Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company
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May 26, 2000, Friday, Late Edition - Final
SECTION: Section A; Page 17; Column
1; National Desk
LENGTH: 106 words
HEADLINE: National News Briefs;
House Votes to
Repeal 1898 Tax on Telephones
BYLINE: AP
DATELINE: WASHINGTON, May 25
BODY:
The House voted
overwhelmingly today to repeal a federal telephone tax passed
in 1898 to finance the Spanish-American War, when telephones were a new luxury
enjoyed by fewer than 1,500 households.
With the 3 percent telephone
excise tax now affecting about 252 million phone lines, including those
connected to cellular phones, fax machines and computer modems, Democrats and
Republicans agreed it was time to use part of the projected budget surplus to
scrap the tax.
The House voted 420 to 2 to do away with the
telephone tax in three equal steps, with full repeal coming on
Oct. 1, 2002. The bill now moves to the Senate.
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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: May 26, 2000 
