And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 20:30:26 -0000 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Congressional Record article 2 of 3 Full Display - 3,102 bytes.[Help] THE TAX FAIRNESS FOR THE STATES ACT OF 1999 -- HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY (Extension of Remarks - May 14, 1999) [Page: E967] Link to GPO's PDF version for this page. --- HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY in the House of Representatives THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1999 Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of bipartisan legislation that I am introducing with Representatives Istook, Sandlin, LaHood, and 17 of my colleagues. The Tax Fairness for the States Act of 1999 will restore millions of dollars of lost revenue for the states, and establish an incentive program for those Native Americans who play by the rules. The Supreme Court has continuously upheld the states' power to levy taxes on non-tribal members within Native American Tribal Trust Lands. The problem that remains, however, is the mechanism to collect these taxes. Our bipartisan measure would solve this problem. The Tax Fairness for the States Act would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to promulgate rules to remove those Native Americans lands from the Tribal Trust on which a retail establishment exists that is not collecting the proper state excise taxes. This is not a discriminatory piece of tax legislation aimed at harming Native Americans. Rather, it focuses on the collection of excise taxes that, according to the Supreme Court, should have been collected in the first place. This legislation does not affect transactions between tribal members; it would only impact those retail establishments that are not collecting and passing on these legal taxes on non-tribal members. The Tax Fairness Act would protect the rights of Native Americans by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to promptly notify any tribe that is under investigation for not forwarding applicable state taxes and gives them a chance to respond. This notification would set out the time and manner in which a tribe has to answer the allegations, including a 90-day comment period in which interested parties could submit statements and request a formal hearing before the Department of the Interior. These important provisions will ensure due process for all tribal members. Furthermore, our legislation contains incentives for tribes who operate establishments in accordance with the law. The Tax Fairness bill awards Native Americans who play by the rules by giving priority among Native American tribes competing for federal grants to those tribes that can certify their compliance with state law. This measure ensures equity in the process of state taxation. This is not about Native American sovereignty, nor is it about discrimination. This measure will give back the hundreds of millions of dollars that states lose annually because these taxes are not collected. Support this measure, support tax equity for the states. <hr><center><center> <a target="egnewwin" href="http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/214"> <img width="468" height="60" border="0" src="http://clickhere.egroups.com/img/000214/Jagged-468x60.gif" alt="click here"><br> Click Here! </a> </center><p> </center> eGroups.com home: <a href="http://www.egroups.com/group/nativeamericanlaw">http://www.egroups.com /group/nativeamericanlaw</a><br> <a href="http://www.egroups.com">www.egroups.com</a> - Simplifying group communications<br> Reprinted under the fair use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
