I wanted to draw your attention to some infuriating new government data.

• In 2012 — not even a decade ago — the IRS audited most major American corporations.

• But by last year, not even 4 out of every 10 corporate giants were audited.

• And audits of millionaires dropped 72% during the same time span.

• In fact, audits of millionaires, who are disproportionately white, dropped off way more than audits of working people claiming a tax credit meant to help low-income Americans, who are disproportionately people of color.

In recent years, the IRS’s budget and staffing has plummeted — down 15% just from 2014 to 2019 — so the agency can’t do as much auditing as it once did.

The IRS is using its diminishing resources to target working people while the super-rich and giant corporations get away with tax evasion on a colossal scale — to the tune of literally hundreds of billions of dollars every year!

This is absurd.

And no way to fund the things this country needs to do: rebuilding our economy as we recover from the Trump pandemic; investing in the infrastructure upgrades our nation desperately needs; avoiding the existential threat of catastrophic climate change; making sure every American has a good-paying job and quality health care; and so much more.

Tell Congress:

Fully fund the IRS so it can make sure billionaires and Big Business pay what they owe. The IRS must be given the funding it needs to audit the super-rich and giant corporations and to crack down on widespread tax evasion.

Add your name.

Thanks for taking action.

For progress,

- Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen

P.S. For half a century, Public Citizen has been advancing policies that put the needs of everyday Americans before the greed of billionaires and Big Business. That legacy of progress and that ongoing work could not matter more right now, as our nation transitions to a Joe Biden presidency that will be as progressive as we — you and Public Citizen, together — make it. We’re also busy undoing all the damage Trump did. And, like so many nonprofits and small businesses, we continue to experience financial strain related to the coronavirus pandemic. If you can, please make an emergency donation today to support the critical work we’re doing together or even join our popular Monthly Giving program. Thank you.
 
 
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