By Monica Alleven
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
CTIA is urging Congress to repeal a 20-year-old IRS rule on employer-provided cell phones, saying it's arcane and puts onerous call log requirements on employees and employers.
In comments filed to the IRS, CTIA agrees with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman to repeal the old rules. However, a statement from CTIA President and CEO Steve Largent said that alternatives proposed by the IRS are either incomplete or inadequate solutions that would continue to subject employees and employers to onerous call log requirements.
CTIA says the MOBILE Act, sponsored bySenators John Kerry (D-MA) and John Ensign (R-NV) and Representatives Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), addresses the matter.
CTIA notes there is broad bi-partisan support for the MOBILE Act and urges Congress to act on it this year.