Washington, D.C.—Shop.org, the digital division of the National Retail Federation, has asked members of the U.S. Senate to support a permanent extension of the ban against multiple and discriminatory e-commerce taxes.

The Senate Commerce Committee is expected to consider a permanent Internet tax moratorium in an executive session today.

"Permanently extending the Internet tax moratorium will broaden the reach of technology and help eliminate what remains of the 'digital divide,'" Shop.org Executive Director Scott Silverman said in a letter sent to members of the committee. "The moratorium helps to ensure that all Americans have affordable access to the Internet and can connect with those businesses that can best serve their needs."

The "State of Retailing Online 2007" report shows online sales this year are expected to increase 18 percent to $259.1 billion.

The jewelry industry supports legislation that would allow individual states to collect sales tax from online and other remote retailers.

Shop.org—a network for online retailers—has 600 members including the 10 largest retailers in the United States and 70 percent of Internet Retailer's Top 100 e-etailers.