John,

I wanted to make sure you saw Deborah’s email about extremists in Congress who are threatening to cut $20 billion in IRS funding in the end-of-the-year government funding bill to protect wealthy tax cheats.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, House Republicans are seeking to cut the IRS’ annual budget even further, making for a one-two punch right before they seek even deeper tax cuts for the ultra-rich next year. Holding the line now is critical for both protecting the IRS and holding members of Congress accountable heading into next year’s fight over renewing the Trump tax law.

For too long, the ultra-wealthy and big corporations exploited an underfunded IRS to avoid paying what they owe in taxes. These proposed IRS cuts would cripple enforcement against tax cheats while degrading services for law-abiding families and small businesses.

Congress needs to hear from you. Tell your members of Congress not to cut IRS funding in the end-of-year government funding bill and stop wealthy tax cheats from evading what they owe.

Thank you for all you do,

Meredith Dodson
Senior Director of Public Policy, CHN Action

-- DEBORAH'S EMAIL --

John,

Congress has a funding deadline of December 20th and right-wing reactionaries are trying to protect wealthy interests by once again threatening IRS funding with a $20 billion cut.

A quirk in the current funding law means that an earlier $20.2 billion cut to the IRS enacted by Congress in March will be automatically repeated in December unless Congress includes language to block it.

If this cut takes effect, over 90% of the enforcement money that the IRS received to crack down on rich tax cheats―money intended to last the agency for a decade―will be gone and the IRS won’t have sufficient enforcement funds for 2025.

We can’t let this happen. The ultra-wealthy should not be allowed to skirt their tax responsibilities and avoid paying their fair share while the rest of us do. Every dollar that millionaires, billionaires, and corporations cheat on their taxes is a dollar not invested in public education, housing, nutrition, health care, and more.

Send a message to Congress now demanding they protect IRS funding so the agency can continue to crack down on wealthy tax cheats.

Since congressional Democrats and President Biden made a historic investment in the IRS, it has recovered $1.3 billion from high-income Americans who failed to pay what they owe.¹ Wait times for phone assistance have dropped from 28 minutes to just 3 minutes.² The agency is answering 65% more calls than before. And, according to a recent survey, the new Direct File tax filing program has already saved 15,000 taxpayers $5.6 million in preparation fees.³

Every tax dollar the wealthy avoid paying is money that could go towards fully funding essential programs for vulnerable people and communities.

We deserve to live in a society where everyone can thrive and that starts with the wealthy paying what they owe in taxes.

Tell Congress: Prevent IRS spending cuts in the end-of-year funding bill.

Thank you for all you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, CHN Action

¹ IRS collected $1 billion in back taxes from millionaires in less than a year
² As A New Tax Filing Season Kicks Off, We Look at the IRS Efforts to Improve Customer Service and the Audits of Two Very Different Kinds of Taxpayers
³ IRS Direct File Pilot Program: Filing Season 2024 After Action Report