5873374114_056c0f32e7_z

ATR and Digital Liberty Support Congressman Sensenbrenner’s No Regulation without Representation Act

Today, Congressman Sensenbrenner (R- Wisc.) introduced H.R. 2887, the No Regulation Without Representation Act, to address state regulations that tax businesses physically outside the borders of the state.

 In Quill v. North Dakota, the Supreme Court found that states are sovereign only within their own borders and that the Constitution prohibits state regulations from crossing state borders. Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, states have regulated businesses outside the parameters of the state for decades. Sensenbrenner’s bill would codify this requirement in relieving small businesses from the heavy weight of government overreach and overregulation.

The following can be attributed to Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform:

“The No Regulation Without Representation Act reigns in government overreach by forbidding any state from 1) imposing a sales tax on businesses physically outside the boundaries of the state, and 2) prohibits any state from exporting regulations onto businesses in other states.

“Regulations can be as abusive as taxes. If the American Revolution was revisited today the slogan would certainly be ‘No Taxation and No Regulations without Representation.’

 “I commend Congressman Sensenbrenner for introducing the No Regulation without Representation Act and I urge all members of Congress to support this important piece of legislation. “  

The following can be attributed to Katie McAuliffe, Executive Director of Digital Liberty:

“Over the past few years, state legislatures have crossed their bounds by regulating and taxing businesses physically outside the parameters of their own state.

“Regulations that constrict and tax businesses outside of state borders challenge state sovereignty and federalism while making it incredibly difficult for small businesses to flourish under the backbreaking weight of regulations. I commend Congressman Sensenbrenner for addressing this by introducing the No Regulation without Representation Act.”

The full text of the bill can be found here

Photo Credit: BKL