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Tag: Internet

Daines, Tester Call on Congress to Stop Massive Expansion of Government Surveillance and Hacking Power

May 19, 2016

Stopping Mass Hacking Act Reverses Disastrous Changes to Warrant Procedures; Congress Must Act or Government Will Be Able to Hack Millions of Americans’ Devices with a Single Warrant, Compromising Security and Privacy U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester today introduced the Stopping Mass Hacking (SMH) Act to protect millions of law-abiding Americans from government hacking. The Stopping Mass Hacking (SMH) Act, S. 2952, is a bipartisan effort that prevents recently approved changes to Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure from going into effect. The changes would allow the government to get a single warrant to hack

Daines Secures Permanent Ban on Government Taxation of the Internet

February 11, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today secured a permanent ban on state and local governments from taxing Internet access.   Daines is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act that passed the Senate this afternoon as part of H.R.644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act. The Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act would permanently extend the current moratorium on taxing Internet access. Montana is one of a few states that would automatically impose a 3.75 percent tax on Internet access if the moratorium is lifted. “The Internet is a critical avenue for Montana businesses to compete in the global marketplace and serves as a

Daines Calls on FCC to Clarify Broadband Definition

January 22, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today led five of his Senate colleagues in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to clarify their inconsistent and arbitrary definitions of broadband, which could detrimentally impact rural Montanans. The letter is also signed by Roger Wicker (MS), Roy Blunt (MO), Deb Fischer (NE), Ron Johnson (WI) and Cory Gardner (CO). The senators expressed their concerns that: The FCC’s arbitrary 25/3 Mbps benchmark speed does not reflect what most Americans consider broadband The use of this benchmark discourages providers from offering speeds at or above the benchmark The definition contradicts the broadband definition used in

Daines: The IRS is Failing Montanans

January 19, 2016

Daines Underscores Need to Reform IRS Services, Tax Code as Tax Season Begins  WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the first day of tax season, Senator Steve Daines is calling for reforms to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) operations in light of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealing that nearly 62 percent of callers who wanted to speak with an IRS representative were unable to receive assistance.  “As this year’s tax season begins today, we are once again reminded of the consistent shortcomings displayed by the IRS,” Daines stated. “Our tax code is nearly five times as long as the Bible, but with none of

Daines’ Bill to Protect Consumers from Backlash Over Online Reviews Unanimously Passes Senate

December 14, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today applauded the unanimous Senate passage of his legislation to protect consumers who want to write honest online reviews of companies, without fear of financial repercussions from the businesses being reviewed.  Daines’ bill, S. 2044 – the Consumer Review Freedom Act, would prohibit the use of non-disparagement clauses referred to as “gag clauses,” which are often found in little-read online user agreements.  “The Senate took an important step forward in protecting the First Amendment rights of Americans who want to provide honest feedback about the products and services they purchase,” Daines stated. “We should encourage competition and

Daines Continues Fight to Block Internet Sales Tax

November 30, 2015

Daines, Ayotte, Rubio, Lee urge congressional leaders to oppose so-called Marketplace Fairness Act WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Cyber Monday, Senator Steve Daines urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to reject any legislation to impose onerous Internet sales tax requirements that would hurt online retailers in Montana and across the nation.   In a letter to Congressional leadership, Daines joined Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Mike Lee (R-UT) to underscore the detrimental impact that a federal Internet sales tax would have on Montana small businesses that rely on the Internet to grow their businesses

Daines’ Bill to Protect Consumers Passes Senate Commerce Committee

November 18, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today hailed the bipartisan passage of his legislation to protect and expand protections for consumers.  The bipartisan Consumer Review Freedom Act unanimously passed the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee this morning. The bill would prohibit the use of non-disparagement clauses referred to as “gag clauses,” which are often found in little-read online user agreements. “Feedback from consumers provides valuable insights not only for companies but for other consumers looking for honest firsthand information,” Daines stated. “We should encourage competition and let consumers’ voices be heard on a free and open Internet. I’m pleased to see this commonsense legislation

Daines Introduces Legislation to Roll Back Red Tape for Small Businesses

November 16, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today introduced legislation to protect Montana small businesses from burdensome regulations found in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 317-page “net neutrality” rules. The Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2015 would make permanent a temporary exemption from the FCC’s new so-called “enhanced transparency requirements,” which would require Internet service providers to disclose an excess of information about their network performance, some of which may require hiring an engineer. Daines’ bill makes the temporary exemption permanent so that small businesses don’t have to comply with unnecessary and burdensome regulations that would cost small businesses time and money.   “Burdensome

Daines Works to Protect Consumers from Backlash Over Online Reviews

November 9, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today announced that he has signed onto bipartisan legislation to protect consumers who want to write honest online reviews of companies, without fear of financial repercussions from the businesses being reviewed.  Daines is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Consumer Review Freedom Act, which would prohibit the use of non-disparagement clauses referred to as “gag clauses,” which are often found in little-read online user agreements.  Businesses can use these clauses to penalize or fine customers for negative but honest reviews of their services on websites such as Yelp or TripAdvisor. Non-disparagement clauses stifle consumer speech by silencing

Daines, Klobuchar, Gardner Introduce Legislation to Expand Broadband Infrastructure

October 8, 2015

Legislation would increase broadband deployment by cutting red tape for companies, states, and local governments that want to install broadband infrastructure on federal land and promotes the simultaneous installation of underground broadband conduit during the construction of federal transportation projects  Yesterday the president of the Wireless Infrastructure Association announced his support for this important legislation at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) have introduced bipartisan legislation to expand broadband infrastructure. The Streamlining and Investing in Broadband Infrastructure Act would increase broadband deployment by cutting red tape for companies, states, and