Larson Highlights IRS Improvements at Ways and Means Hearing
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) highlighted the significant improvements in the IRS’s customer service after Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act last year at the Ways and Means hearing with IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. Republicans have continuously called to repeal this funding that has improved customer service and given the IRS the ability to go after wealthy tax cheats. Larson also highlighted the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program that helps low- to moderate-income individuals, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and limited English speakers file their taxes.
You can watch Rep. Larson’s remarks here.
“Giving new meaning to, ‘We’re from the IRS, and we’re here to help.’ We keep a record of the number of cases that we take up, and just in the area of tax filing for the years of 2022 and 2023, you can see, with the new resources, the tremendous effort that was put forward. We can continue to do better, but between modernization and having that human being there- the thing I hear from my frustrated constituents is not having a person on the other end of the phone or being able to talk in person. The fact that you’re open on Saturdays now as well, can you comment on these efforts,” Larson asked.
Commissioner Werfel replied, “I appreciate the opportunity to comment, when we had lower resources, it was so frustrating for IRS employees not just because we couldn’t have the right amount of people on the phone, but we couldn’t do what we needed to do as part of meeting taxpayers where they are and serving them effectively in underserved populations. So, what funding allows us to do is to do what the base of what we are supposed to do- be there to answer the phone. But it also allows us to lean in and provide a more fulsome service experience, meeting taxpayers where they are, allowing them to walk in to a center, that center is opened, staffed and there is no line outside. One of the things we did, Congressman, is we’ve opened 16 additional walk-in centers this filing season, those are in local communities around the country, some of the districts of the members of this committee. We could not do that without the Inflation Reduction Act. There is really no agenda here other than to meet the demand of a very complicated tax system so we can serve Americans effectively.”