Reps. Hoogendyk, Drolet, Gosselin, Sheen, Acciavatti, Baxter, Casperson, Caul, Elsenheimer, Farhat, Garfield, Green, Hildenbrand, Marleau, Meyer, Mortimer, Nitz, Nofs, Palmer, Pearce, Rocca, Shaffer, Stahl, Steil, Taub and Vander Veen offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 192.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to repeal the federal excise tax on telecommunications.

            Whereas, The federal excise tax on telecommunications was enacted in 1898 for the purpose of funding the Spanish-American War. The tax was introduced as a "temporary" luxury tax; and

            Whereas, Telephone service is no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity for consumers of all income levels. The federal excise tax is therefore regressive, as low-income Americans pay a higher percentage of their income for telephone services than high-income Americans; and

            Whereas, Telecommunication services are the infrastructure upon which new technologies, including the Internet, depend, and therefore the telecommunications excise tax discourages expansion of both the telephone infrastructure and new technologies; and

            Whereas, The revenue from the federal excise tax on communications flows into the general fund, rather than being earmarked for a specific purpose. Indeed, both Houses of Congress passed a repeal of the federal excise tax on telecommunications in 2000. The measure was vetoed by President William Jefferson Clinton; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to repeal the federal excise tax on telecommunications; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.