WASHINGTON – During a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the committee, secured the commitment of Billy Long, President Trump’s nominee for Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner, to support the IRS Whistleblower Program and utilize its full potential. Grassley noted the program has brought in over $6 billion to the Treasury and could raise billions more if fully used by the IRS.
Grassley also urged Long to upgrade aging technology at IRS and bolster protections for key taxpayer data, citing leaks from the IRS to progressive outlet ProPublica.
For decades, Grassley has spearheaded congressional efforts to hold the IRS accountable, strengthen taxpayer rights and boost customer service at the federal tax-collecting agency.
Video and excerpts from Grassley’s questions follow.
Securing Support for the IRS Whistleblower Program:
Grassley: “[The] IRS Whistleblower Program incentivizes those with knowledge of high-dollar tax evasion to alert the IRS, and this deals mostly with corporations. To date, this program has brought in over $6 billion to the Treasury and could raise billions more if used by the IRS to its fullest extent. Should you be confirmed, can I count on you to be supportive of the whistleblower program and work to ensure it's used to its full potential?”
Long: “I don't think there's a lot of daylight between Charles Grassley and Billy Long on that issue. And you were one of the very first senators that allowed me to come into your office and visit. And we had a robust discussion on whistleblowers, and I'm right there with you, Senator.”
Securing Taxpayer Information from Leaks:
Grassley: “In recent years, there have been multiple instances of taxpayer information being improperly disclosed or leaked from the IRS. The most prominent example involved an IRS contractor releasing thousands of individual tax returns to liberal publication ProPublica. I guess he's in prison now as a result of that. But in your view, how important is it for the IRS to maintain the confidentiality of private taxpayer information?”
Long: “I think it's utmost, the utmost … [T]here should be stringent penalties and as long-term sentences is you could possibly get, I would think.”
The Biden Administration’s Push for Enforcement Over Customer Service:
Grassley: “While I agree enforcement of our tax laws is necessary, in my view, the emphasis should be on improving customer service to put the taxpayer first. Because giving good information is one way of helping the taxpayers to abide by the law. Most taxpayers want to do that and would gladly do so if they could get their phone calls answered and questions addressed. If confirmed, what is the balance you hope to strike between enforcement and customer service?
Long: “Everything that we do has to be fair to both sides. And we have to handle the taxpayers – whether they're paying in or whether it's a compliance issue – in exactly the same manner according to the code, what the laws dictate that we do.”
Need to Replace Aging Technology at IRS:
Grassley: “Technology at the IRS is dangerously out of date and needs to be modernized. Updating IRS information technology has been a priority for every commissioner for decades. Unfortunately, such efforts have been plagued with cost overruns and have under delivered in terms of performance. What steps can you take as commissioner to ensure that this history doesn't repeat itself, and we don't waste a lot of taxpayers’ money trying to upgrade everything?”
Long: “I think that I mentioned earlier that we need to use a lot of things that other businesses are using to do things more effectively [at] the IRS.”
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