American Enterprise Institute

As the midterms approach, the White House may resurrect earlier proposals to overhaul the corporate tax program. One component, sometimes called the “Amazon tax,” would impose a 15 percent minimum tax on large corporations’ book income (the income reported to investors on financial statements) rather than taxable income, to ensure all companies pay each year. This impulse may seem egalitarian, but because of a quirk in accounting rules governing spectrum licenses, this proposal disproportionately harms wireless companies and could deter broadband buildout.

On April 4 the American Enterprise Institute hosted a discussion on how states can best use the $65 billion for broadband build-out apportioned by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai was joined by Sen.

Casey Lide of Keller & Heckman recently wrote a blog post warning that federal grant funding might be considered taxable income by the IRS.

Congress is finally demanding action on the Universal Service Fund.

Building on previous initiatives, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act represents a potentially significant improvement over previous efforts to help low-income families get online. But as always, much will depend on how the Federal Communications Commission carries out its new congressional mandate. The Affordable Connectivity Program will provide $30/month in assistance on an ongoing basis, plus equipment subsidies. There is much to like about the new Affordable Connectivity Program.

One way to decrease the importance of nomination fights is to reduce the power of agencies by shifting the locus of legislative decision-making back where it belongs — in Congress. Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution — the document’s very first substantive provision — establishes that “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States.” Today, most policy decisions are made not on Capi