GOP Wants to Exploit Mideast Crisis to Gut IRS

October 30, 2023

$14B Israel Aid Package Would Be Funded By Clawing Back Tax Agency Funding That’s Boosting Service & Catching Rich Cheats

The following statement was released today by David Kass, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness, in response to the news that House Republicans want to fund a $14.3 billion aid package for Israel with money earmarked for restoring the budget of the Internal Revenue Service after a decade of GOP cuts:

“Once again we see that the GOP will use absolutely any issue as a cover for their single focused priority — protecting the wealthiest from paying their fair share in taxes. The IRS funding is necessary to ensure that rich tax cheats are not allowed to steal from the rest of us. According to the Congressional Budget Office, cutting the IRS budget actually costs our country billions. Making foreign aid contingent on allowing the wealthiest to cheat the tax system gives away the game: the goal of this bill is to shield the rich from their civic obligations. All members of Congress should reject this framing out of hand.”