Press Releases

Today the Senate voted 69 to 27 to pass S. 336, the “Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013.”  This legislation would give states the option to require the collection of sales and use taxes already owed under state law by out-of-state businesses, rather than rely on consumers to remit those taxes to the states.  Under the current tax loophole, while brick-and-mortar retailers collect sales and use taxes from customers who make purchases in their stores, many online and catalog retailers do not collect the same taxes.  The legislation also exempts from collection requirements retailers which have $1 million or less in annual remote sales.  Following passage of the legislation, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) stated the following:

“I applaud the Senate for passing the Marketplace Fairness Act.  This bipartisan legislation is a common-sense approach to leveling the playing field by removing a legal tax loophole which has unfairly advantaged out-of-state retailers for years.  It does so without burdening small businesses or raising taxes of any kind.  As the Senate has finished their work, I urge the House to promptly consider this much-needed legislation to help out our local retailers.”

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