Olson Acts To Modernize And Improve The Internal Revenue Service

Washington, DC – Rep Pete Olson (TX-22) today acted to redesign the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to improve its mission to be focused on its core customer – the American taxpayer. Olson voted for the bipartisan H.R. 5444, the Taxpayer First Act, the biggest and boldest step to refocus the IRS in 20 years. This legislation overhauls the IRS to protect families and businesses by providing a mandate to be impartial, transparent and focused on customer service when dealing with taxpayers. H.R. 5444 passed the House unanimously and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

“I’m pleased that we took this needed step to reform the IRS into an agency focused on a mission to put taxpayers first.” Rep. Pete Olson said. “For too long, the IRS has abused its enforcement power, doing everything from seizing property without fair notice to withholding information from some taxpayers as they try to appeal a ruling, leaving them on an uneven playing field. They have even sent low-income individuals into private debt collection. Many procedures and processes in place are also extremely inefficient and outdated. The IRS is still using fax machines and some systems from the 1960s! It’s time the IRS joins us in the 21st century so that it can best serve American taxpayers.”

Highlights of H.R. 5444

–        Establishes the Independent Office of Appeals to improve the dispute resolution process within the IRS.

–        Requires the IRS to maintain the IRS Free File Program that provides free individual income tax preparation and electronic filing services to the lowest 70% of taxpayers by adjusted gross income.

–        Ensures taxpayers have access to the same information as the IRS during the dispute resolution process, in an attempt to level the playing field.

–        Requires the IRS to submit to Congress a plan to redesign the structure of the agency to improve efficiency, enhance cyber security, and better meet the needs of taxpayers.

–        Ensures that the IRS sends notice to the actual taxpayer when conducting an audit before contacting friends, neighbors, and clients.

–        Restructures the IRS’s enforcement tools to ensure taxpayers do not have their assets seized without proper, timely, and fair notice.