Levin Floor Statement on IRS Publication 17 Resolution

WASHINGTON, DC – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today delivered the following remarks on the House Floor ahead of a vote on H. Res. 673, a resolution urging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to make printed copies of IRS Publication 17 – the Tax Guide for Individuals – available to taxpayers, free of charge:

(Remarks as delivered)

"This bill urges the IRS to make available printed copies of the IRS publication 17 – the Tax Guide for Individuals – to taxpayers, free of charge.

"According to the IRS, printing and shipping copies of this publication cost them more than $500,000 last year.

"Will the Republicans fund this important service for taxpayers? Of course not. Better yet, will they increase funding for customer services broadly, like answering taxpayer phone calls, or investing in cyber security to prevent fraud? No, of course not.

"Instead, Republicans have cut the IRS's budget by close to $1 billion since 2010. As a consequence of those cuts, the state of IRS's customer service today is inexcusable. If Republicans want the IRS to improve the services they provide to taxpayers, they need to increase the agency's funding.

"This bill, as well as the other IRS bills before the House this week, are simply a distraction from the Republicans' inability to act on the budget and legislation to help the people of Flint and Puerto Rico."

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