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IRS: A Broken Agency
Orange Leader
By Dr. Brian Babin
Sunday, April 5, 2015

As we approach this year’s tax filing deadline on April 15th, hardworking Texans are once again being subjected to an overly burdensome and inefficient federal tax system. As a new member of Congress, I am deeply troubled by both the current state of our federal tax code and the lack of transparency and accountability displayed by those who enforce it – the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Each year, hardworking American families spend over six billion hours preparing their taxes at a total cost of $168 billion. With most Americans still struggling in today’s sluggish economy, this is precious time that could go toward growing their family budgets and supporting the local economy – not the IRS.

Simply put, today’s tax code is too complex, too costly and is in desperate need of reform. For this reason, I am a strong advocate for fixing our broken tax system and replacing it with a simpler and fairer system. I oppose raising taxes and believe that we should consider pro-growth tax reforms that make the tax code more efficient and predictable. Most importantly, tax reform should not allow Washington to take more hard-earned money out of your wallet!

The American people also deserve an enforcement agency that is effective, transparent, and accountable. Unfortunately, that does not describe today’s IRS. Instead, we see an out-of-control agency that has grown too large, too powerful, too aggressive, and too involved in the everyday lives of the American people. And there is no clearer example of this than the agency’s intentional targeting of conservative groups – which was led by now disgraced IRS official Lois Lerner.

Like most Americans, I was outraged over Ms. Lerner’s abuse of power and even more so by her refusal to come clean. The politicization of the IRS and targeting of conservative organizations by Obama’s IRS is absolutely unacceptable. But even more frustrating is the Obama Administration’s unwillingness to cooperate with investigators.

The lack of transparency and obstruction of justice by the IRS, Lois Lerner and other IRS officials must be met with full prosecution. Every email must be turned over so that we can get to the bottom of this. Political targeting by a federal agency must be treated with the utmost of seriousness and those engaged in it should be prosecuted and denied a taxpayer-funded retirement.

A recent report by the Government Accountability Office found that in 2013 the IRS issued over $5 billion in fraudulent identity theft tax refunds. In addition, the IRS estimates that at least 22% of its Earned Income Tax Credits payments were issued improperly in 2013 – costing taxpayers $15.6 billion. To make such fraudulent payments is further abuse of the American taxpayer. The waste, fraud, and abuse at the IRS must end!

From our broken federal tax code to a mismanaged and unaccountable IRS – it’s past time for Congress to take immediate action to stop this out-of-control agency and hold those guilty responsible. We must ensure the American taxpayer is treated with the respect they deserve and I am supporting legislative initiatives to do exactly that.

Dr. Brian Babin is the U.S. Congressional Representative for the 36th District