Sessions Applauds Passage of Bill to Stop IRS Abuse

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, today released the following statement regarding House passage of H.R. 3865, Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014:

"The recent IRS scandal is a prime example of the federal government abusing its power. By intentionally targeting conservative groups and political opponents of the president, the IRS has severely damaged the American people’s trust in their government. 

"Now, the IRS has proposed new regulations that would allow for the continued targeting of non-profit organizations based solely on their conservative principles.  Americans should not have to worry about retribution from the Obama Administration for voicing their opinions. Additionally, the IRS must be held responsible for its politically-motivated behavior.

"The Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act requires the IRS to use the same standards for processing applications for tax-exempt organizations that it used on January 1, 2010, which was before the IRS began flagging conservative groups for surveillance. Further, this bill would halt the IRS’ regulations until Congress completes its investigations into the original targeting cases.  I urge the Senate to join House Republicans in adopting this common-sense legislation that will protect the First Amendment rights of the American people."

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Created:
Feb 26, 2014