Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007

Floor Speech

PASSENGER RAIL INVESTMENT AND IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007 -- (Senate - October 24, 2007)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

'Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I thank the Senator from New Hampshire for offering this important amendment. We are running out of time. The Internet tax moratorium does expire in a week. As the Senator from New Hampshire has indicated, State and local governments across our country could impose taxes on Internet access as soon as a week from now.

I think it is important we address this issue--not that the underlying measure is not important as well. I know it is important to many Senators. But the Internet needs to be protected. Here is our chance to go on record: Are we for a tax on Internet access or not?

The Internet has been at the heart of America's economic growth over the past decade--all because Government has not gotten in the way. Those days are over if we open the Internet to new taxes. I think there is bipartisan support for a permanent ban, for continuing the moratorium forever, and I think the Senate ought to have an opportunity to go on record.

CLOTURE MOTION

The only way, Madam President, in the parliamentary situation we find ourselves in, that a vote on a permanent moratorium could be achieved is if I were to offer a motion to invoke cloture, which I send to the desk now, on the Sununu amendment.

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