National Retail Federation Lauds House Passage of Istook
Amendment
Retail Group Heartened by Movement Toward Level Playing
Field
Washington, DC, May 10, 2000 – The National Retail
Federation today lauded the overwhelming House support for a Sense of the
Congress amendment offered by Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) directing state
governments to address simplification of sales and use tax systems. The measure
was offered during debate over H.R. 3709, the Internet Tax Freedom
Act, which passed the House. NRF believes
the support for the amendment indicates that there is concern in the Congress
over the inequity that exists in state sales and use tax systems.
“We were concerned
that a long-term extension of the Internet Tax moratorium would indefinitely
delay the debate over sales and use tax,” said Steve Pfister, NRF’s Sr. Vice
President of Government Relations. We were
heartened by the House debate and passage of this amendment which showed that
there is genuine concern over these significant issues.”
The Istook amendment,
while non-binding, put Congress clearly on the record for the need to
expeditiously consider the overriding issue of sales and use tax.
Pfister reiterated the NRF’s hope that the Senate will address all
aspects of this issue in a thoughtful and deliberate fashion.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is the world's largest retail trade association with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution including department, specialty, discount, catalog, Internet and independent stores. NRF members represent an industry that encompasses more than 1.4 million U.S. retail establishments, employs more than 20 million people -- about 1 in 5 American workers -- and registered 1999 sales of $3 trillion. NRF’s international members operate stores in more than 50 nations. In its role as the retail industry's umbrella group, NRF also represents 32 national and 50 state associations in the U.S. as well as 36 international associations representing retailers abroad.