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Read. Follow. Verify.IRS Reform Hearing: Lessons from the National Taxpayer Advocate
Record date · January 1, 2019
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What This Bill Does
The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing on May 19, 2017, to discuss potential reforms to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The committee heard testimony from the National Taxpayer Advocate regarding how to improve agency efficiency and maintain taxpayer trust.
This hearing initiated a legislative review process aimed at modernizing IRS operations and service standards, which directly impacts how all U.S. taxpayers interact with the agency and exercise their Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
U.S. Taxpayers
Taxpayers are subject to the administrative procedures and service standards of the IRS, which are the subject of the proposed reforms.
IRS Employees
Agency employees are subject to potential changes in operational procedures and management structures resulting from the reform efforts.
Key Facts
- The hearing took place on May 19, 2017, in the Longworth House Office Building.
- The Subcommittee on Oversight is conducting a review of IRS operations for the first time in nearly 20 years.
- 98% of U.S. tax revenue is collected through voluntary compliance, while 2% is collected through enforcement actions.
- The Taxpayer Bill of Rights includes the right to quality service, defined as prompt, courteous, and professional assistance.
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- The hearing included formal questions for the record from Representatives Buchanan, Schweikert, Curbelo, Bishop, and Holding.
- The Bright Lines Project submitted public testimony for the record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of this hearing?
Who is the National Taxpayer Advocate?
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News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift toward modernization
The committee explicitly framed the reform effort as a move toward a '21st century agency' rather than a punitive measure.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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