(PresidentialHill.com)- The so-called Inflation Reduction Act, a $740 billion package passed by Democrats, is granting the IRS $80 billion in funding, $45.6 billion which will be used to enforcement related activities, such as “to determine and collect owed taxes, to provide legal and litigation support, to conduct criminal investigations (including investigative technology), to provide digital asset monitoring and compliance activities,” according to the bill.
The IRS has drawn disapprobation from Republican lawmakers after it was discovered that the federal agency has stockpiled more than 5 million rounds of ammunition and 5,000 firearms. Recently, the agency has reportedly proposed to purchase an additional $700,000 in ammunition, according to defense and national security website 19FortyFive.
In response, a bill titled “Disarm the IRS Act,” introduced by Representatives Matt Gaetz and Jeff Duncan, would prohibit the IRS from stockpiling ammunition.
The agency is making its move back to in-person working. As of April, 53% of its employees were working over the computer, according to Just the News. Prior to the pandemic, about half of the agency’s 78,000 employees were reportedly eligible to telework and about a third did so between October 2019 and March 2020.
One might think that this is why the agency is so unproductive. Will increased funds, employees, ammunition, and firearms resolve the issue, or is there something more going on?
The agency posted a job listing in August that required the use of a firearm and deadly force. Three of its requirements were as stated:
• “Carry a firearm and be willing to use deadly force, if necessary.
• Maintain a level of fitness necessary to effectively respond to life-threatening situations on the job.
• Be willing and able to participate in arrests, execution of search warrants, and other dangerous assignments.”
In a statement to Just the News regarding the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act and the funds issued to the IRS, the agency wrote: “The IRS has struggled for many years with insufficient resources to fulfill our important mission. During the next 10 years, these funds will help us in many areas, including adding critical resources to not just close the tax gap but meaningfully improve taxpayer service and technology. This will allow the IRS to provide services to taxpayers in the manner they expect and deserve. The act also includes a wide range of tax law changes that we will have to implement very quickly.”
Maybe stop letting employees work from home.
