The Taxpayer First Act has passed both houses of Congress and now heads to President Trump’s desk, and National Taxpayers Union commends legislators on both sides of the aisle who worked to come together to pass legislation that will protect taxpayers’ rights and make the system fairer for everyone.
NTU President Pete Sepp issued the following statement to mark the legislation:
“Taxpayers can celebrate passage of a bill that truly lives up to its name, one that prioritizes the well-being of the people who pay government's bills. Congress came together in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to demonstrate that genuine progress on behalf of a fairer system of tax administration is possible. Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Lewis said that "we negotiated. We took our time, and we believe we did it right." NTU enthusiastically shares that sentiment, and applauds Chairman Lewis, Ranking Member Kelly, Chairman Neal, Ranking Member Brady, Chairman Grassley, and Ranking Member Wyden, for their steadfast determination to work through the challenges and send a bill to the President that will make a difference in millions of taxpayers' lives. From strengthening the appeals process, to providing vulnerable taxpayers with more remedies, to setting higher expectations for IRS customer service, the Taxpayer First Act is a major accomplishment for which both parties can be proud.
Congress's passage of the Taxpayer First Act marks the fifth major IRS reform bill in 31 years. It will not be the last such effort. The job of protecting taxpayers' rights will never be finished. Administration and enforcement in the tax system demand constant oversight, refinement, and accountability. NTU stands ready to assist public officials with writing the next chapter in the history of a decades-long movement that has brought hope and dignity for so many taxpayers. Forward!”
NTU is the leading citizen advocacy organization on behalf of tax administration reform. In 1988 the group organized civil liberties and other organizations on behalf of the first Taxpayer Bill of Rights. In 1997 NTU's then-Executive Vice President served with the National Commission on Restructuring the IRS, whose recommendations became the basis of a landmark law a year later. In the 115th and 116th Congresses, NTU led large coalitions of taxpayer and free-market groups for passage of the Taxpayer First Act.