Electronic commerce Legislation - Federal Government

A bill to regulate certain State and local taxation of electronic commerce, and for other purposes. 10/1/2008--Introduced. Prohibits a state from imposing any tax on electronic commerce (i.e., transactions conducted over the Internet or through Internet access) of any person unless that person has a physical presence in the state during the period to which such tax applies or is incorporated or domiciled in such state. Sets forth criteria for determining physical presence, including: (1) being physically in a state or assigning one or more employees to a state; (2) using the services of an agent to establish or maintain the electronic commerce in the state; or (3) leasing or owning tangible personal or real property in the state. Exempts from the definition of "physical presence" entering into an agreement to share revenue generated by the electronic commerce of another person, presence in the state for less than 15 days in a taxable year, and presence in a state [...]

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To ensure that implementation of proposed regulations under subchapter IV of chapter 53 of title 31, United States Code, does not cause harm to the payments system, and for other purposes. 10/3/2008--Reported to House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Payments System Protection Act of 2008 - Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) from proposing, prescribing, or implementing any regulation against funding unlawful Internet gambling, including proposed regulations published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2007, except to the extent such regulation: (1) pertains to unlawful Internet sports gambling; or (2) is developed on the record jointly by the Secretary and the Board, after opportunity for an agency hearing with an administrative law judge (or similar official), complete with a definition of "unlawful Internet gambling," and after conducting a full economic impact study [...]

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Making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. 8/1/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2009 - Title I: Department of Defense - Appropriates funds for FY2009 for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) military construction for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force (military departments), DOD, the Army and Air National Guard, and the Army, Navy, and Air Force reserves; (2) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (3) family housing construction and related operation and maintenance for the military departments and DOD; (4) the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund; (5) the Homeowners Assistance Fund; (6) chemical demilitarization construction; and (7) the Department of Defense [...]

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To amend the Controlled Substances Act to address online pharmacies. 10/15/2008--Public Law.    (There are 2 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on September 28, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.)Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to prohibit the delivery, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled substance that is a prescription drug over the Internet without a valid prescription. Exempts telemedicine practitioners. Defines "valid prescription" as a prescription that is issued for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice by a practitioner who has conducted at least one in-person medical evaluation of a patient.Defines "online pharmacy" as a person, entity, or Internet site, whether in the United States or abroad, that knowingly or intentionally [...]

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A bill to prohibit text message spam. 6/16/2008--Introduced. Do-Not-Text Act of 2008 - Amends the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 to exclude from the definition of "mobile service commercial message" a commercial e-mail if the message's primary purpose is to: (1) facilitate, complete, or confirm a transaction between the message recipient and the sender; (2) provide warranty, recall, safety, or security information regarding the recipient's product or service; (3) provide notice of a change in terms or conditions, a change in the status of the recipient, or account statements regarding a subscription, membership, account, loan, or comparable ongoing commercial relationship; (4) provide information regarding an employment relationship or benefit plan in which the recipient is involved; or (5) deliver goods or services, including updates or upgrades, that the recipient is entitled to receive.Declares that provisions relating to the application of the Act to wireless do [...]

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A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding oversight of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. 5/14/2008--Introduced. Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) it is critical that more progress be made by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in transparency, accountability, and security; (2) the private sector's success in Internet development is unparalleled and industry self-regulation must be assured through more effective ICANN contract compliance efforts; (3) WHOIS databases provide a vital tool for businesses, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and other law enforcement agencies to track down brand infringement, online fraud, identity theft, and other online illegal activity, as well as for consumers to determine the availability of domain names and communicate with online businesses; (4) increased international private sector participation in various ICANN processes should be encouraged; (5) the United [...]

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A bill to prohibit the collection of identifying information of individuals by false, fraudulent, or deceptive means through the Internet, a practice known as "phishing", to provide the Federal Trade Commission the necessary authority to enforce such prohibition, and for other purposes. 2/25/2008--Introduced. Anti-Phishing Consumer Protection Act of 2008 or the APCPA - Makes it unlawful for a person to fraudulently: (1) solicit identifying information from a protected computer; (2) use a domain name in violation of the Trademark Act of 1946; (3) use a domain name in an electronic mail message, an instant message, or on a Web page; or (4) register a domain name in any domain name registration authority. Makes it unlawful for a domain name authority to replace or materially alter the contents of, or restrict access to, any domain name registrant's name or other identifying information in any domain name registration authority database if the authority has received written [...]

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To establish broadband policy and direct the Federal Communications Commission to conduct a proceeding and public broadband summits to assess competition, consumer protection, and consumer choice issues relating to broadband Internet access services, and for other purposes. 2/12/2008--Introduced. Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2008 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to declare that it is U.S. policy to: (1) maintain the freedom to use broadband telecommunications networks, including the Internet, without unreasonable interference from or discrimination by network operators; (2) enable the United States to preserve its global leadership in online commerce and technological innovation; (3) promote the open and interconnected nature of broadband networks that enable consumers to reach, and service providers to offer, content, applications, and services of their choosing; and (4) guard against unreasonable discriminatory favoritism for, or degradation of, content by [...]

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To amend title 18, United States Code, and the Social Security Act to limit the misuse of Social Security numbers, to establish criminal penalties for such misuse, and for other purposes. 2/6/2008--Introduced. Social Security Number Misuse Prevention Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the display, sale, or purchase of Social Security numbers without the affirmatively expressed consent of the individual, except in specified circumstances. Directs the Attorney General to study and report to Congress on all the uses of Social Security numbers permitted, required, authorized, or excepted under any federal law, including the impact of such uses on privacy and data security.Establishes a public records exception to the prohibition. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on Social Security numbers in public records. Grants the Attorney General rulemaking authority to enforce this Act's prohibition and to implement and clarify the permitted [...]

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