21st Century Irs Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESTES of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5445, the 21st Century IRS Act, which would modernize the IRS, making it safer and more accessible to taxpayers.

It seems appropriate to discuss this bill on what has turned into the second tax day of 2018, after the IRS faced disruptive technical issues during yesterday's filing deadline. These glitches are a clear reminder of why we need to modernize the IRS.

Today, many taxpayers use their smartphones to pay bills, conduct business, and order pizza. Banks, businesses, and others in the private sector have continued to meet the demand of our tech-savvy citizens and have provided them with first-class service.

In addition to convenience and access, Americans deserve to have their identity protected when interacting with the public and private sector, whether that is offline or online. The IRS should be no different. That is why I am pleased this bill includes language about cybersecurity, identity theft, and information technology upgrades. Outdated systems from the 1960s are not the best way to protect the information of millions of Americans who interact with the IRS each year.

This tax day was the last day taxpayers had to file using an antiquated Tax Code. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation so that taxpayers no longer have to file using antiquated and unsecure technology.

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