It's Very Straightforward: The IRS is Not Doing its Job.
"We need an IRS--and a tax code--that works for the taxpayer." That was the message Speaker Ryan delivered earlier today at a press conference with other Republican leaders. He explained that addressing these two concerns will be a big part of the agenda House Republicans are working on for a more #ConfidentAmerica. Below are Speaker Ryan's full remarks:
"First of all, I want to thank Kristi and I want to thank Jason, and all the members of the Ways and Means Committee for their work on this. This is something that the Ways and Means Committee has spent a great deal of time on, and hats off to them for their incredible oversight of the Internal Revenue Service.
"This is another example of our Congress doing its job conducting oversight on behalf of the taxpayers we represent. It is not just asking the tough questions. It is going out and pushing for reforms that actually help our taxpayers. This is why, even with a Democrat president, we have been able to force the IRS to accept more accountability and transparency.
"We know that the IRS cannot be trusted to police itself--that has been proven. Each time we uncover more problems, the IRS comes up with more excuses. Just recently, in the height of tax season, we learned that the agency still has not done enough to protect taxpayers from hackers. Asked about this, the IRS commissioner said, and I quote: "It's a complicated world.'
"There is nothing complicated about this. If anything, it's very straightforward: The IRS is not doing its job. It is looking out for itself instead of looking out for our taxpayers.
"We need to build a new culture at the IRS, which is why reforms like this are so important. Ultimately, we need to reform our tax code. This will be part of the agenda that we are going to be presenting to the American people. Right now, we have a tax code that no one can understand being enforced by an agency that no one trusts.
"We need an IRS--and a tax code--that works for the taxpayer. We don't have one now, and that is one of the causes to which this majority is dedicated to."
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