Neal Opening Statement at Markup of H.R. 5346, The Fair and Accountable IRS Reviews Act

(As prepared for delivery)

On this bill, I tend to give a lot of credence to the recommendations of the taxpayer advocate, but it’s hard to take any Republican tax administration efforts seriously when you consider how they’ve treated the IRS. Under their watch, it’s been a clown show of leadership this year. They weakened customer service with mass firings—only to realize they need the dedicated staff to carry out their work.

Then you recall the years they’ve spent hollowing out the IRS, both with staff and resources.

Cutting enforcement efforts that actually raised over a billion from wealthy tax cheats.

They gutted Direct File, an effort to help ease filing for millions of Americans.

Just last week we found out that the Trump Administration halted efforts that were cracking down on tax shelters. Once again siding with the richest corporations and people to allow them to evade paying their fair share.

So yes, Rome is burning, and my colleagues can only muster action on the wing of a gnat.

Their priorities are misplaced, and its hurting taxpayers.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

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