Press

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today upon voting in favor of the Marketplace Fairness Act, a bipartisan bill allowing for the collection and remittance of state sales taxes from online, catalogue, and brick-and-mortar retailers:

“The Marketplace Fairness Act is not a new tax and it does not increase taxes – it simply levels the playing field. Rather than giving an edge to large Internet companies based in other states, the legislation treats large online sellers the same as Nebraska’s small town, Main Street merchants. Government should not be in the business of picking ‘winners’ and ‘losers.’ By giving online sellers a free pass from collecting state sales tax, the federal government is actively undermining millions of small business owners who invest in our communities and create jobs.”

In 2003, Nebraska joined 23 other states in adopting the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA), which ensures state tax laws and regulations are easily compliable. If enacted into law, the Marketplace Fairness Act would give Nebraska and all other states the option to require the collection and remittance of sales and use taxes from remote sellers. An exemption is provided for smaller retailers with annual remote sales under $1 million.

This legislation does not raise federal revenue; it simply empowers states to collect the revenue they are already owed based upon current law. The Marketplace Fairness Act passed the Senate this evening with broad bipartisan support.

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