Tax and regulatory burdens on consumers and businesses are relatively low in the United States compared to other countries. The Internet Tax Freedom Act, which passed Congress two years ago, placed a three-year moratorium on new Internet taxes. The act also created the Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce to develop a permanent Internet tax policy and submit it to the Congress for their consideration. I was appointed to the commission and was elected chairman by the members. The Internet Tax Freedom Act is significant because it demonstrates America's commitment to growing and developing the Internet as free as possible from governmental intrusion.
Technology also is integral to the everyday lives of the American people.
Americans are highly skilled at using tools that are vital to the development of the Internet economy, tools such as laptops and palm pilots, even credit cards and ATM machines, all of which have been key to the explosive growth of the electronic commerce in the United States. But the Internet is rapidly evolving into a global phenomenon. One recent study predicts that nearly half of the world's online commerce will take place outside of the United States by the year 2003. That same study also found that 60 percent of the world's online population already resides outside of the United States. The globalization of the Internet is here, right now, in realtime.