Sam Johnson Scores Four Victories Against IRS Amnesty Tax "Refunds" and Wrongfully Imprisoned Individuals
Statement
Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (TX-03) voted in support of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act (H.R. 2029), a bill that includes permanent extensions of tax provisions important to Texas such as the state and local sales tax deduction, the Research & Development (R&D) tax credit, and small business expensing. The bill passed the House by a vote of 318 to 109. Included in the bill was legislation spearheaded by Congressman Johnson cracking down on IRS tax "refund" handouts to illegal immigrants as well as ending the IRS's cruel and unjust taxation of restitution awards given to those wrongfully imprisoned.
"Time after time, the Obama Administration has used the IRS to advance President Obama's radical liberal agenda from targeting conservatives for their beliefs, to giving away billions of taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants," said Johnson. "And while lawbreaking people -- who aren't even from our country -- are collecting checks paid by American taxpayers, wrongfully convicted and imprisoned Americans are actually being forced to hand over part of their restitution awards to the IRS! NOTHING about this situation is right or fair -- and the American people deserve better. The tax bills I introduced this year are all about righting these wrongs and putting the IRS in its place."
To learn more about Johnson's four legislative measures with respect to the PATH Act, please see below:
#1: No Amnesty Tax Refunds for Illegals Act (H.R. 1298)
At a February 11th, 2015 Ways and Means Oversight hearing with IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, Congressman Johnson exposed the President's bogus claim he made in November 2014 that, among the requirements for getting his executive amnesty, illegals must be "willing to pay your fair share of taxes." In fact, the IRS Commissioner grudgingly confirmed that, as a result of the President's executive amnesty, illegals could actually get as much as $24,000 from the IRS by retroactively claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable tax credit. To STOP these amnesty "refunds" from going to illegals, Johnson introduced H.R. 1298 earlier this year.
#2 ITIN Reform Act of 2015 (H.R. 2478)
Back in 2012, the Inspector General for the IRS issued a shocking report exposing the IRS's troubling management of the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) program. According to the IG, IRS managers were encouraging employees to ignore questionable applications and blatant fraud for the sake of fast-tracking ITINs. (The IRS issues ITINs to individuals ineligible for Social Security numbers.) Originally put in place to allow individuals without Social Security Numbers to report their income and pay taxes in the U.S., the ITIN process has become a ticket for illegal immigrants to get cash benefits from the federal government such as the $1,000 refundable child tax credit.
In response, Johnson called on the then-IRS Commissioner to resign as well as introduced the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Reform Act that would protect the American taxpayer through commonsense anti-fraud reforms such as putting in place stronger safeguards with respect to the ITIN application process. The PATH Act includes ITIN reforms inspired and modelled off of Johnson's bill. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, these reforms will save $3.4 billion.
#3 Refundable Child Tax Credit Eligibility Verification Reform Act of 2015 (H.R. 2334)
The PATH Act includes one of two provisions included in Johnson's bill targeting fraud and abuse with the $1,000 refundable child tax credit. The included provision would prohibit individuals committing fraud from being able to claim the child tax credit for 10 years.
#4 Wrongful Convictions Tax Relief Act of 2015 (H.R. 3086)
To ensure individuals who were wrongfully imprisoned don't suffer the additional injustice of the IRS taxing their restitution, Johnson introduced legislation -- included in the PATH Act -- that prohibits the IRS from taxing these innocent folks' compensation. (This law is supported by FreedomWorks and Americans for Tax Reform.)
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