Hensarling Votes to Rein in IRS

Statement

U.S. Congressman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05), a leading conservative and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, released the following statement after House passage of an appropriations bill that included reforms to the Internal Revenue Service:

"Since reports of IRS misconduct first surfaced, the House has taken action to investigate, interrogate, and terminate those responsible, but today, we are exercising our constitutionally granted power of the purse to further advance these goals and to hold the IRS accountable to the American people.

"This appropriations bill ensures that the IRS is not abusing its authority by restricting the First Amendment rights of law-abiding, taxpaying Americans and bans the IRS from creating new rules and regulations regarding the tax-exempt status of certain groups until the pending investigation surrounding the previous unlawful actions by the IRS has ended. Additionally, the bill ensures that taxpayer resources are properly used by prohibiting funding for wasteful conferences and productions, like the infamous Star Trek video, and prohibiting funds for bonuses or awards for IRS employees unless employee conduct and tax compliance is given consideration.

"Furthermore, this bill protects the American people from the harmful effects of Obamacare by stopping the transfer money from the Department of Health and Human Services to the IRS and by prohibiting funding for the IRS to implement Obamacare's individual mandate.

"These common sense issues should rise above partisanship. They hit at the heart of who we are as a people, and why we fight for justice and accountability, and fear such a large, powerful government that clearly has become "too big to manage.'"

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