John,

When Congress returns next week, they will have just a couple of days to pass government funding legislation, or we’ll enter a partial government shutdown.

Republicans are using this manufactured crisis to demand all sorts of additions to this must-pass funding legislation. And one of those additions would ban the IRS from implementing its new Direct File pilot program, which is expected to launch in just a few weeks and will allow millions of taxpayers in a dozen states to file their state and federal tax returns for free, online.

If the pilot program is successful, Direct File could be adopted more broadly next year.

For years, greedy corporations like TurboTax and H&R Block have spent millions of dollars lobbying the federal government to block Direct File. They want to protect their billions of dollars in profits, forcing millions of American families to continue to pay, on average, $250 each year to file our taxes.

We’re sending thousands of messages to Congress right now demanding they reject this Republican “rider” that would block the IRS from implementing Direct File. Donate today to power our campaign to defend the IRS and defend our right to file our taxes for free, online.

This attack on Direct File is part of the larger Republican war on the IRS.

In 2022, when Democrats introduced legislation to restore funding for the resource-depleted IRS, allowing it to crack down on wealthy and corporate tax cheats as well as better serve everyday taxpayers, Republicans started circulating a lie that this increased funding would lead to armed IRS agents knocking down the doors of everyday taxpayers.

Of course, that was just a way to shield the rich tax evaders in the GOP donor base from detection and prosecution. And they had a right to be worried: since we helped restore that $80 billion in IRS funding, the agency has so far collected $500 million from millionaire tax cheats.[1] It’s also notified Microsoft that it owes $29 billion in back taxes,[2] and announced the audits of 60 giant corporations that together make more than $500 billion in profits each year.[3]

It’s clear Republicans will always prioritize the profits of greedy corporations and the bank accounts of their wealthy tax-cheat donors over the needs and rights of working Americans. But we’re fighting back!

Donate today to defend the IRS and its new Direct File pilot program.

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Together, we’re fighting for a tax system that works for everyone, not just wealthy individuals and billion-dollar corporations.

David Kass
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund

[1] The IRS crackdown on high-end taxpayers is already raking in millions in back taxes — here’s how much
[2] IRS says Microsoft owes an additional $29 billion in back taxes
[3] IRS Investment Update: Business Account Launches, Noncompliant US Subsidiaries Targeted