Political Quotes

“Many individuals have experienced enforcement powers of the IRS at their worst. Reports by GAO uncovered tales told by many taxpayers of unfair, unruly, and sometimes illegal treatment by IRS employees toward taxpayers demanding additional taxes and even seizing property for payment of taxes that could not effectively be challenged without substantial investment of time and money on the part of the taxpayer. Thankfully, beginning in 1996, the gentleman from Ohio, [Mr. Portman], and the gentleman from Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, were appointed to cochair a bipartisan commission to study and make recommendations to Congress about suitable reforms. H.R. 2676 is a result of that commission. I can say to my colleagues, this bill will prohibit specific Government officials from requesting that the IRS conduct or suspend an audit, stop fishing expeditions by the IRS, require probable cause for IRS investigations, direct the Treasury to study the implementation of a paper-free tax system, extend confidentiality privileges, provide statutory rules governing innocent spouse relief, change the burden of proof to the IRS and not the taxpayer, and finally, an oversight board. All of this makes this bill one worthy of passage in a bipartisan fashion.”