Internal. Revenue. Service.
When it comes to the IRS, there are several issues that could be improved:
- The IRS sees no problem with rehiring employees who were previously fired for misconduct
- The IRS can freely spend money with no accountability
- Nearly 1,600 IRS employees were delinquent on their taxes (Coincidence? We think not.)
- The IRS has knowingly targeted various groups based upon their political beliefs
- The IRS uses fees it collects as a slush fund — participating in activities that are contradictory to the interest of taxpayers
- The IRS takes its sweet time attending to taxpayer’s requests. Last year, the IRS only responded to 37% of the requests and callers who did eventually get through had to wait on hold for an average of 23 minutes
House Republicans say “enough is enough.” That’s why we are hard at work holding the IRS accountable, so you have more peace of mind on Tax Day. It’s a step toward restoring confidence in America and implementing a tax code that empowers people.
If you like the sound of that, then you’ll love to hear what House Republicans are saying:
- “The IRS hasn’t helped its credibility in recent years by choosing to target citizens based on their political beliefs while wasting money on conventions and bonuses. This week’s legislation represents just a few of the common-sense improvements we can make to the IRS.” – Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL)
- “No IRS employee should be above the law, nor should they be treated any differently than anyone else filing their taxes. The No Hires for the Delinquent IRS Act will help ensure IRS employees pay their taxes just like every other law-abiding citizen.” –Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC)
- “The Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act (H.R. 3724) would prohibit the IRS from rehiring an employee that has been fired for cause – for certain forms of misconduct. That seems simple enough to me.” – Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
- “These bills will address rampant problems that have been experienced with the IRS over recent years and make much-needed reforms to the agency’s operations.” – Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
- “Over 700,000 Americans have had their vital tax information potentially stolen by hackers because the IRS could not protect their information. …This is a failure that cannot stand.” –Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA)
- “More than half of IRS employees who owe significant back taxes are still working at the very agency that collects taxes.” –Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA)
- “Every year, Americans pay their taxes. They should not be further burdened with the fear that they may be singled out for their strongly held beliefs and convictions. It is disappointing that it takes an act of Congress to remind the IRS that the Constitution is the law of the land – and that they must abide by it.” –Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA)
- “This bill is about liberty, it’s about freedom and it is about exerting the Article I power of the purse given to Congress by the Constitution, and making sure that unelected bureaucrats are not spending money improperly and unwisely. “ – Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO)
- “Much more must be done to correct our broken tax system. Nonetheless, as we work toward a fairer, flatter, and simpler tax code, I’ll be looking for more opportunities to make the IRS more accountable to you.” – Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD)