BREAKING: Cortez Masto Provisions to Protect Taxpayers Clear Key Senate Hurdle

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that several of her bipartisan bills advanced out of the Senate Finance Committee as part of a bipartisan tax administration package. This legislation now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

"Today, the Senate Finance Committee voted to make it easier for American taxpayers to get ahead, protect their personal information, and avoid bad actors," said Senator Cortez Masto. "I worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure this legislation is full of common-sense fixes to make life easier for Nevadans. I'm going to keep working to get it across the finish line and bring our tax code into the 21^st century."

The bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act will streamline the tax system and help the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) work better for working families across the U.S. It includes the following bills of Senator Cortez Masto's:

• Bipartisan legislation with Senator Marsha Blackburn (R.-Tenn.) to help the IRS crack down on scammers who are stealing sensitive taxpayer information from tax professionals.
• Bipartisan legislation with Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) to protect the privacy of American taxpayers' information by increasing penalties for unauthorized disclosure of taxpayer information.
• Provisions of bipartisan legislation with Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) protect taxpayers and small businesses from penalties caused by IRS delays.

As the former top law enforcement official in Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has been a leading voice fighting fraud and standing up for taxpayer privacy her career. Last year, President Trump signed into law her bipartisan legislation to allow taxpayers extra time to file when they are impacted by natural disasters such as wildfires.

###