eBay, Members of Congress respond to House Judiciary Committee Hearing on Internet Sales Tax Proposals

March 13, 2014

In response to the hearing "Exploring Alternative Solutions on the Internet Sales Tax Issue" held by the House Judiciary Committee this morning, Richard Nash, eBay Inc.’s Head of Government Relations for the Americas, made the following statement:

“eBay is encouraged by today’s discussion on the need for creative and thoughtful ways to address sales tax challenges while protecting small businesses that use the Internet. Chairman Goodlatte’s principles provide meaningful guidance about the concerns we’ve raised on behalf of our small business community, and the hearing highlighted the importance of balanced legislation that keeps the Internet open to small businesses and innovative entrepreneurs.”

eBay opposes any legislative proposal that imposes burdensome sales tax requirements on small Internet-enabled businesses.  eBay believes it is fundamentally unfair for a state to make small businesses their tax collectors and require these businesses to collect sales taxes in every taxing jurisdiction nationwide, even if they are not physically located in that jurisdiction.  eBay Inc., and other likeminded groups, have repeatedly called on Congress to move legislation that encourages small business growth and development.  Small businesses have a hard enough time competing with mega-billion retailers without creating a new sales tax regime that makes it more difficult to compete in the global marketplace.

Learn more about eBay Inc.’s position on Internet sales taxes.

A number of Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle spoke up and expressed their concerns with the so-called Marketplace Fairness Act and how it would impact small businesses across the country.

And check out what other groups are saying about yesterday's Internet sales tax hearing: