Rep. Collins: We Need to Rein in the IRS

April 19, 2016

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives began debate on four bills to make the IRS more accountable to the American people. The bills included H.R. 1206, the No Hires for the Delinquent IRS Act, H.R. 4885, the IRS Oversight While Eliminating Spending (OWES) Act, H.R. 4890, the IRS Bonuses Tied to Measurable Metrics Act, and H.R. 3724 the Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act. This legislation, which comes the day after Tax Day, will provide oversight, protect taxpayer money, and improve customer service at the agency. Congressman Collins, who managed the rule on the House floor earlier today for H.R. 4890 and H.R. 3724, issued the following statement:

“The IRS is a poorly managed agency with little oversight, which is all the more concerning given that they operate on the taxpayer dime. The IRS has illegally targeted conservative groups for their beliefs and there is evidence that taxpayer information is at risk for cyberattacks. It is bad enough that taxpayers are forced to hand over extraordinary amounts of their hard-earned money to the IRS, but it’s even worse in light of the misconduct that seems to run rampant at this agency. I have fought with my colleagues to hold IRS officials—such as Lois Lerner, the employee at the head of the division targeting conservative groups—accountable for their wrongdoing, but we need to go farther. That is why I cosponsored a resolution to impeach  IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. The IRS cannot continue to be allowed to run roughshod over the American people.”

“I believe we should dismantle the IRS and implement the Fair Tax, but in the meantime, we have to hold the IRS to a higher standard. It is fitting that the House brought forth legislation to create that higher standard just one day after Americans opened their wallets for the IRS. Tax Day, that annual event which has every American thinking about how much money they pay to the government, only emphasizes how complicated and burdensome our tax code is. The bills we brought up today will make sure that the IRS meets its obligations to the taxpayers who fund it, and ensure that the bureaucrats who run it are held accountable. These bills are a step in the right direction, and I will continue working to rein in the IRS.”

Click here to watch Congressman Collins’ statement on the House floor from earlier today