National Taxpayers Union (NTU) President Pete Sepp on Friday issued a statement expressing encouragement and praise for many elements contained in a newly released discussion draft on tax administration and taxpayer rights from Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), as well as optimism for working together on refining the draft into legislation that can pass with bipartisan support in this Congress.
“This framework is the most comprehensive and impactful initiative on tax administration and taxpayer rights since the landmark IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 or the Taxpayer First Act of 2019,” Sepp said. “The discussion draft is a testament to the hard work of conscientious lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, containing many provisions long championed by NTU for implementation through Congress as well as the Executive Branch that will give genuine meaning to the word ‘service’ in Internal Revenue Service. These include broad-based reforms that would widen taxpayer access to appeals and strengthen the National Taxpayer Advocate, as well as specific improvements that would clarify math error notices and harmonize the ‘mailbox rule.’”
“In coming weeks, NTU will enthusiastically provide comments on many areas of the discussion draft, ranging from additional mechanisms for IRS oversight to improvements that will enhance due process and fair treatment for tax professionals. National Taxpayers Union stands ready to work with the Senate Finance Committee to help refine the discussion draft into the strongest possible piece of legislation that will rebuild taxpayers’ trust in the IRS and the American system of voluntary compliance. We are grateful to members of the Senate Finance Committee and their staffs for beginning a thoughtful effort that holds great promise for a better tax system.”