September 18,2023

Wyden Commends IRS for Plans to Increase Focus on High Income Tax Cheats and Increase Equity in Audit Selection

Washington, D.C. — Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on IRS Commissioner Werfel’s letter regarding the ongoing efforts of the IRS to rebalance its enforcement activities:

“I’m pleased to see the IRS using the enforcement funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to help lower-income taxpayers catch mistakes from the start and identify credits they are eligible for, while reserving enforcement resources to crack down on wealthy tax cheats and those who prey on vulnerable filers. This is exactly why Congress boosted funding for the IRS.

“By revisiting the EITC audit selection process and focusing audit activity on the wealthiest taxpayers who are dodging taxes, rather than working people who are just trying to comply, the IRS is taking important steps to address the racial disparities in audit selection identified earlier this year. I am encouraged by the IRS’s pilot programs and look forward to continued updates on the IRS’s progress in addressing these racial disparities. I will continue to watchdog the agency in its work to overhaul its approach to tax enforcement and make sure that it fully eliminates racial bias from its audit selection methods.”

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