Photos from the forum are available here. 

RED OAK -- Sen. Chuck Grassley today took part in a public forum with National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson including a panel of Iowans advising what taxpayers want and need from the IRS to comply with their tax obligations. 
 
“Taxpayers work hard to fulfill their tax obligations,” Grassley said.  “The IRS needs to work just as hard to help people do that.  When taxpayers have questions, the IRS needs to answer them.  The National Taxpayer Advocate is a position Congress created to help make sure the IRS is serving taxpayers.  With this forum, the National Taxpayer Advocate is hearing directly from Iowans as the eyes and ears of taxpayers dealing with the IRS.”
 
The National Taxpayer Advocate is having forums around the country to solicit opinions that might shape the IRS’ “Future State” plan envisioning online taxpayer accounts.  Some observers fear the IRS envisions even less personal customer service than it has now, so hearing from taxpayers on what they need from the IRS is important.   The National Taxpayer Advocate sought out Grassley and Iowa for a forum because of his long record of increasing taxpayer rights, services and accountability at the IRS.  
 
Grassley served on the bipartisan National Commission on Restructuring the IRS, which completed a yearlong audit of the IRS and released its final report in 1997.  The report was the basis of the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, which mandated Local Taxpayer Advocates in every state.  Grassley is former chairman and currently a senior member of the Finance Committee, with exclusive Senate jurisdiction over the IRS.  The committee just passed additional reforms Grassley drafted to promote taxpayer rights.  
 
Last December, several Grassley co-authored taxpayer rights provisions became law. 
 
The enacted Grassley provisions including codifying the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, including the right to  be informed; quality service; pay no more than the correct amount of tax; challenge the position of the IRS and be heard; and more; prohibiting IRS employees from using personal email accounts for official business; greater rights for tax-exempt organizations seeking a decision about their tax status;  and termination of employment of IRS employees for taking official actions for political purposes. 
 
Opening Statement of Sen. Chuck Grassley
at National Taxpayer Advocate Forum in Red Oak
Thursday, May 5, 2016
 
I am pleased to be joined in hosting this public forum with the National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson.  
 
Ms. Olson, as the National Taxpayer Advocate, serves as an independent voice within the IRS representing the interests of the general taxpaying public.  
  
I was glad that Ms. Olson reached out to me on holding a forum in Iowa to help her understand how the IRS could better serve Iowan’s and other taxpayers. 
    
Ms. Olson, thank you for co-hosting this forum.   
 
The IRS has never been, and likely will never be, an agency anyone is glad to hear from.  
 
However, American taxpayers should have confidence that they will receive a fair shake from the agency.  Taxpayers also deserve top notch service from the IRS that adequately serves everyone.    
 
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the IRS, I have long sought to use my position to improve IRS services and ensure taxpayer rights are respected.
 
I was involved in Taxpayer Bill of Rights legislation enacted in 1988, 1996, and 1998.

In 1997, I served on the National Commission on Restructuring the IRS, which resulted in the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 – often considered the third Taxpayer Bill of Rights.  
 
Each of these bills was about reining in abuses by the IRS and improving taxpayer interaction within the IRS. 
 
The office of National Taxpayer Advocate was established by the 1996 Taxpayer Bill of Rights legislation.  
 
The 1998 act further enhanced the powers of the National Taxpayer Advocate, ensuring its independence within the IRS.  Further, the legislation required that local taxpayer offices be located in every state to provide help to taxpayers who are having trouble resolving problems with the IRS. 
 
We have representatives of the local taxpayer advocate office here today.  If anyone here is presently experiencing difficulties with the IRS, I would encourage you to utilize this opportunity to talk to a taxpayer advocate representative. 
 
Ensuring the IRS is properly performing its job, while adequately serving taxpayers and respecting their rights is an ongoing process. 
 
The Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the IRS, recently considered legislation to further beef up taxpayer protections and improve taxpayer services. 
 
I am pleased this bill incorporates a number of pro-taxpayer provisions from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Enhancement Act, which I introduced last year.  
 
Today’s forum provides a unique opportunity for Iowans to weigh in on what the IRS could be doing better to help taxpayers with their tax filing obligations.
 
I look forward to hearing the thoughts of the panel, and those of you in attendance today, on improving IRS taxpayer services. 
 
Ms. Olson, with that, I will turn things over to you.  Thanks again for co-hosting this forum. 
 

 

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