The Senate will now begin debate on amendments. The chamber is expected to hold the decisive vote on the bill — known as the Marketplace Fairness Act — later this week. Kirk has not made a formal statement on how he intends to vote on the finalized version of the bill itself.
Conservatives groups such a Heritage Foundation and Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform have notified lawmakers their votes on the internet sales tax will be noted on their annual report cards.
Twenty-eight Republicans joined Durbin and President Obama in supporting the measure.
The Hill reports major retailers are putting all their lobbying muscle behind the legislation, arguing it would close an unfair loophole that benefits online merchants over brick-and-mortar stores. The National Retail Federation, which represents chains such as Best Buy, Macy’s and J.C. Penney, and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), which counts Target and others among its membership, announced it would score lawmakers’ votes.
E-Bay is calling on customers to oppose the measure and Amazon.com supports it.
Other opponents among the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and the Financial Services Roundtable said the measure could pave the way for financial transaction taxes on the state level, an idea that Wall Street and its supporters fiercely oppose.
