Content about United States Senate

May 7, 2013

The U.S. Senate approved the long-debated Internet sales tax proposal, known as the Marketplace Fairness Act, by a bipartisan vote of 69 to 27. The Obama administration has already endorsed the bill, but before it can become law it must be approved by the House.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Senate approved the long-debated Internet sales tax proposal, known as the Marketplace Fairness Act, by a bipartisan vote of 69 to 27. The Obama administration has already endorsed the bill, but before it can become law it must be approved by the House, where Republicans are split on the bill.

March 24, 2013

Taxes a certainty for online sellers

The days of online retailers getting an unfair advantage by not having to comply with state tax laws are numbered as the U.S. Senate has just passed the marketplace fairness amendment as part of the fiscal 2014 budget resolution.

WASHINGTON — The days of online retailers getting an unfair advantage by not having to comply with state tax laws are numbered as the U.S. Senate has just passed the marketplace fairness amendment as part of the fiscal 2014 budget resolution.

In response, the National Retail Federation released the following statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay:

“We sincerely want to thank Senators Enzi and Durbin for continuing the fight for fairness on behalf of America’s small businesses owners.

November 14, 2012

Pepsico taps Washington insider for public policy job

Alan Hoffman, former deputy chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, is the new SVP of global public policy and government affairs at PepsiCo.

December 7, 2011

Consumer privacy: Marketers can reach common ground on behavior-driven marketing

A lot has changed between the early 20th Century, when John Wanamaker delivered his famous quotation about the inexactitude of advertising, and March 2011, when Chris Calabrese argued for greater consumer privacy protections at a U.S. Senate Committee hearing.

"I know half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, but I can never find out which half."

– John Wanamaker, Department Store Tycoon and Marketing Pioneer of the early 20th Century

“There is an online privacy war going on, and without help, consumers will lose.”

– Chris Calabrese, Legislative Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union

June 9, 2011

Swipe-fee reform amendment squashed by Senate

The retail industry won a big victory in Washington, D.C., as the Senate defeated an amendment that proposed to delay swipe-fee reform for another 12 months.

WASHINGTON — The retail industry won a big victory in Washington, D.C., as the Senate defeated an amendment that proposed to delay swipe-fee reform for another 12 months.

April 6, 2011

Senate repeals 1099 tax reporting requirement

The U.S. Senate Tuesday voted to repeal a law that posed a burdensome tax reporting requirement for businesses.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate Tuesday voted to repeal a law that posed a burdensome tax reporting requirement for businesses.

In an 87-12 decision, the legislative body passed H.R. 4, the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act, sponsored by Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif. The bill repeals a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 that required businesses to file a Form 1099 with the Internal Revenue Service whenever they made noncredit-card payments totaling $600 or more to a vendor during a single year.