Policy With Respect To Discrimination Against Internet Companies

The policy of the Association is governed by the following:

• Sense of the Board of Directors to oppose any legislation that discriminates against Internet-based companies and ventures in relation to other companies and ventures that are not Internet-based.

• The “Commerce Clause” of the Constitution of the United States, as contained in Article I, Section 8, clause 3: giving the Federal Government the power “To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;” as interpreted by the US Supreme Court and the Congress.

The policy of the Association is:

1.       USIIA will oppose any legislation, regulation or policy whose intention or effect is to discriminate against Internet-based entities if such discrimination occurs solely because of the affiliation of or use by the entity of Internet technologies or networks.

2.       USIIA will oppose any legislation, regulation or policy whose intention or effect is to discriminate in favor of or against one segment of the Internet industry as opposed to another segment of the Internet industry, preferring to allow the forces of an open and competitive marketplace to determine the evolution of technologies and Internet entities.

3.       In the event that discrimination or disparity exists between segments of the industry, USIIA will seek to re-establish parity first by elimination of legislation, regulation or policy.  If this is not possible, USIIA will seek to establish parity through the application of such legislation, regulation or policy on all segments of the Internet industry equally.