Grassley is a lead sponsor of bi-partisan, bi-cameral legislation to dramatically restructure the IRS. The legislation -- introduced in July and advocated by Grassley, Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, Reps. Rob Portman of Ohio and Ben Cardin of Maryland -- is based on the findings of the recently completed year-long study of the 17-member National Commission on Restructuring the IRS. In 1988, Grassley co-authored with former Sen. David Pryor of Arkansas the first-ever Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Grassley and Pryor also won approval in 1996 for the sequel, known as T2 or the Taxpayer Bill of Rights II. Grassley has served as chairman of the Finance Subcommittee on IRS Oversight.
Grassley's statement on the Rossotti nomination follows.
"Taxpayers deserve to have a leader for the IRS with the proven ability to manage a major organization. Mr. Rossotti has the kind of background needed to provide such leadership. I have encouraged him to rock the boat, and use his authority to help bring about a new kind of IRS: one that operates efficiently and effectively.
"In addition to endorsing a highly-skilled business manager to take charge of the IRS, Congress should act on the fundamental reforms contained in the bill I introduced with Sen. Kerrey to restructure the IRS and make the government agency live under the same high standards it demands of every American taxpayer. The congressional hearings held this fall revealed systemic abuse and mistreatment of taxpayers by the IRS, and the need for swift action. Our reform plan calls for better management, not more money for the IRS. It would provide greatly expanded taxpayer protections, encourage more aggressive and sustained oversight by Congress, and let the sun shine into the IRS bureaucracy. We want to establish an IRS that works for taxpayers, not against them."