05.06.13

Durbin: Majority of Senate Stood Up for Main Street Businesses Today

Bill giving states the right to level the playing field for their small businesses now heads to House of Representatives

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today celebrate the Senate’s overwhelming approval of a bill he co-authored to level the playing for Main Street businesses by allowing local brick-and-mortar retailers to compete more effectively against out-of-state internet sellers.  The bill must now be considered by the House of Representatives where a bipartisan group of 66 Representatives have already signed on as cosponsors of the legislation.

 

“I am proud to have joined sixty-nine of my Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle in passing this long-overdue legislation that will give much needed support to local businesses around the country,” said Durbin.  “I thank Senators Enzi, Alexander, Cardin, Heitkamp, Reed and many others for their efforts in securing such strong support for this legislation.  I’ve often listened to speeches in the House and Senate about how we need to do more to make certain that small businesses – the true job creators – can succeed.  A solid majority of the Senate stood up for small business today.  I think the support in the House will be similar if the leadership practices what they preach and calls this bill for a vote.”

 

The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 – introduced by Durbin and Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) – 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, the method of tax collection to which they are now restricted.  The bill currently has the support of over 268 labor, business and government organizations while 22 Governors (15 Republicans and 7 Democrats) have come out in support of leveling the playing field for businesses by addressing sales tax fairness. 

 

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 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 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—the method of tax collection to which they are now restricted.