This evening, Brian Bieron, Senior Director of Global Public Policy at eBay Inc., made the following statement in response to the inclusion of a non-binding state sales and use tax amendment to the budget resolution this evening:

“The intense lobbying and contentious debate on a simple non-binding budget amendment reveals that the undercurrent in the Senate is that the actual Internet Sales Tax bill is not ready for prime time.  The current bill would force small business owners who sell online to become tax collectors for every state across America, threatening them with audits and litigation by tax collectors from states that are thousands of miles away from where they live, work and create jobs.

"The intense lobbying and contentious debate on a simple non-binding budget amendment reveals that the undercurrent in the Senate is that the actual Internet Sales Tax bill is not ready for prime time."

eBay Inc. and its allies will continue to oppose any legislative proposal that would expand state tax collection authority over small business with an Internet presence.  At a time when small businesses all across the country are struggling to compete, we will continue to encourage policymakers to consider proposals that protect small business interests and not threaten them with out-of-state tax enforcement agents."