Grassley Welcomes Finance Committee Passage of Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act, Including Key Grassley-Backed Provisions

Grassley Welcomes Finance Committee Passage of Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act, Including Key Grassley-Backed Provisions

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, applauded committee passage of the Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act by a bipartisan vote of 26-1. The legislation strengthens taxpayer rights and modernizes Internal Revenue Service (IRS) operations, helping build a more efficient, responsive and taxpayer-focused tax administration system. The TAS Act includes more than 60 bipartisan reforms to improve the taxpayer experience, including recommendations from the National Taxpayer Advocate.

Numerous Grassley priorities were passed as part of the bill, including legislation to improve the IRS Whistleblower Program, combat tax refund fraud and eliminate tax headaches for farmers.

"This bipartisan package is an important step forward to support the American taxpayer and improve the IRS's customer service. I'm glad to see many of my priorities included in this legislation, like my bills to make tax filing easier for family farmers, protect whistleblowers and hold corporate tax cheats accountable. I'll keep working to get this legislation signed into law to ensure the IRS runs more smoothly for the American people," Grassley said.

Background:

The TAS Act, led by Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), includes Grassley's IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act. The IRS Whistleblower Awards program has enabled the agency to collect $8 billion from wealthy individuals and businesses caught avoiding taxes.

The package also includes Grassley's bipartisan Preventing Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Act, introduced alongside Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to improve tax compliance and help the IRS combat tax refund fraud. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates this provision will bring $385 million back into the federal treasury.

Finally, the TAS Act includes a Grassley-backed provision led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to eliminate tax headaches for farmers and their tax preparers by aligning certain tax filing rules for farmers and fishermen with the regular April 15 tax filing deadline.

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