Political Quotes

“today, Congressmen Rangel, Matsui, Hoyer, Waxman, and I are introducing the Internal Revenue Service Improvement Act of 1997. This legislation will address the fundamental problem areas currently facing administration of the tax laws by the IRS. This legislation will codify recent actions taken by the administration to ensure effective oversight of the Internal Revenue Service by the Department of Treasury. The legislation also ensures effective use of the expertise of individuals from the private sector. The bill will allow the IRS to improve its customer service through more taxpayer-friendly IRS telephone assistance, clearer notices, quality reviews, taxpayer surveys, and increased access to the Taxpayer Advocate offices. The legislation will also provide the IRS with increased employee training and education, a reform that IRS employees have asked the Congress for so that they can better do their jobs. The bill will give the IRS Commissioner a 5-year term to run the agency which will result in continuity of management. The Commissioner would be given the authority to hire a top-notch IRS management team and be able to recruit and pay experts, as needed, throughout the agency. IRS employees would be able to work under performance-based and retention arrangements, and the IRS would be able to conduct demonstration projects to test the use of successful private-sector methods of efficiency and customer satisfaction.”