OREANDA-NEWS. February 15, 2016. The U.S. Senate today passed legislation that permanently extends the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA).

"CenturyLink applauds the U.S. Senate, and Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune in particular, for approving legislation that permanently protects consumers and small businesses from being taxed on their Internet access by federal, state and local governments," said CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations John F. Jones. "Enacting a permanent Internet access tax moratorium is sound fiscal policy that will help grow the Internet economy by encouraging network investment and broadband adoption."

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar bill last December. Legislation that permanently extends ITFA was introduced by U.S. Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) last year. A temporary extension of the Internet access tax moratorium has been enacted many times since it was first signed into law in 1998.