Requiring Notice From Secretary of the Treasury in Case of A Taxpayer Assistance Center Closure

Floor Speech

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Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois.

Mr. Speaker, as we recognize tax day today, it is fitting that we advance a bill that recognizes Taxpayer Assistance Centers are the primary face of the Internal Revenue Service in local communities.

H.R. 5440 was jointly introduced by Representative Karen Handel from Georgia and Representative Tom O'Halleran from Arizona. It simply requires public and congressional notification prior to any closures of these critical centers.

Taxpayer Assistance Centers, or TACs, provide in-person help to taxpayers on a wide range of issues, including making payments, resolving questions, and authenticating identity. They are IRS employees who know the law and provide high-caliber assistance locally.

In fiscal year 2017, TACs served approximately 3.2 million taxpayers, down from 4.3 million served the prior year. Unfortunately, this decline can be tied, in part, to the IRS' recent prioritization of online services over in-person assistance. This shift is evident in multiple ways:

It is evident in the closure of 30 TACs since 2011, a reduction of over 7 percent;

It is evident in the substantial reduction in TAC staffing, a decline of about 30 percent during the same period that the centers were closed;

It is evident in the rigid requirement of appointment-only assistance, without allowing walk-in help, even just to pay one's taxes. Indeed, the Taxpayer Advocate noted that about 30 percent of all TACs have either zero or one employee, resulting in virtual closures in about 111 sites.

These reductions impose hardships on local communities and limit taxpayers' rights to quality service. These reductions in access and the resulting community disruption concern taxpayers as well as Members of Congress.

H.R. 5440 is a commonsense bill that requires the IRS to provide public notice, including through nonelectronic means, 90 days prior to the closure of a Taxpayer Assistance Center. This notice ensures that affected taxpayers are aware of closures as well as information on alternative forms of assistance that is available. Importantly, the Secretary of the Treasury must notify Congress of the closure and provide the reasons for closing the TAC.

Face-to-face assistance is a critical element of the Internal Revenue Service. Many tax issues cannot be resolved via a website or a brief phone call. Taxpayer Assistance Centers are vital to our tax system, and I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation to ensure public and congressional notification prior to any closures of centers.

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Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As I prepare to close, I want to reiterate the importance of Taxpayer Assistance Centers as the local face of the Internal Revenue Service. The Internal Revenue Service should be increasing this presence and not limiting it.

H.R. 5440 is a commonsense bill that requires the IRS to provide public notice, including through nonelectronic means, 90 days prior to the closure of a Taxpayer Assistance Center. This notice ensures that affected taxpayers are aware of closures, as well as information on alternative forms of assistance that are available. This notice will help communities and taxpayers better answer their questions and comply with their tax obligations.

As I have said, this is, indeed, a commonsense bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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