The Republican-controlled House passed a bill that would have taken back $72 billion in funding for the hiring of tens of thousands of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees over the following ten years. The White House announced Monday that it will veto the bill.
The Inflation Reduction Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law last year, included increased funding for the IRS to hire personnel totaling $80 billion, which was also passed by Congress last year. Republicans on Monday passed a bill to recoup the majority of this money, which the White House claimed would encourage corporations and affluent Americans to evade taxes.
The White House issued a statement stating that, “Far from protecting middle-class families or small businesses, H.R. 23 protects wealthy tax cheats at the expense of honest, middle-class taxpayers. With their first economic legislation of the new Congress, House Republicans are making clear that their top economic priority is to allow the rich and multi-billion dollar corporations to skip out on their taxes, while making life harder for ordinary, middle-class families that pay the taxes they owe. That’s their agenda; not lowering costs or cutting taxes for hard working Americans – as President Biden has consistently advocated.”
The IRS agents are required, according to the White House, to ensure that the wealthiest pay their fair share of taxes, which aids in decreasing the government deficit.
The IRS received funding with the intention of hiring new agents, auditors, and support employees. The GOP bill that was approved this week keeps funds in place for hiring customer service personnel and making technological advancements.
The White House issued a statement saying, “If the President were presented with H.R. 23 – or any other bill that enables the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations to cheat on their taxes, while honest and hard-working Americans are left to pay the tab – he would veto it.”
