Representatives Ross, Panetta, DeLauro Introduce Bill to Deliver Faster Relief for Taxpayers

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02), Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) introduced a bill to improve transparency between taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax refund claims.

Currently, there is no requirement that the IRS pay or deny refund claims within a set timeframe. As a result, claims can spend years in the IRS' queue without a decision, leaving taxpayers with no clear answers or recourse. The bill requires the IRS to respond to tax refund claims within one year of receiving a taxpayer's return. It also ensures that any refund paid after that period is adjusted for inflation and includes interest to compensate taxpayers for the delay.

IRS employees work diligently to serve taxpayers and process refund claims, but their work has been undermined by staffing cuts under the Trump administration. Thousands of IRS employees have been laid off, resulting in fewer claims processed and growing backlogs. Since 2019, the number of backlogged tax claims has doubled to more than two million. This bill will create a clear process to ensure refund claims are paid or denied in a timely manner, with taxpayers guaranteed a sufficient explanation for any IRS decision.

"Americans in North Carolina and across the country work hard for every dollar they earn, and they deserve prompt responses when they file their tax returns," said Congresswoman Ross. "At a time when too many families are stretched thin by rising costs, they should not be left wondering whether they will receive the money they are owed. This bill will help ensure tax refunds are processed in a timely manner and require the IRS to provide clear explanations of its decisions to the American taxpayers."

"We are in a cost-of-living crisis," said Congresswoman DeLauro. "Americans are living paycheck to paycheck - if the government is responsible for a late refund, they should ensure that Americans are made whole because of it. I am fighting to put more money in working and middle-class Americans' pockets - to help them get ahead and thrive."

"The backlog in cases at the IRS has left way too many hardworking taxpayers waiting way too long for their hard-earned refunds," said Congressman Panetta. "Our RETURN Act would help restore accountability, efficiency, and transparency by requiring the IRS to respond to refund requests within one year and explain the reasoning behind any denial. This legislation would help ensure a more responsive tax system so that all Americans can efficiently and effectively receive their tax returns."

Bill text is available here.

Permalink: https://ross.house.gov/2026/6/representatives-ross-panetta-delauro-introduce-bill-to-deliver-faster-relief-for-taxpayers