Dear John,

As of January 23, 2023, the IRS has started accepting and processing 2022 tax returns. You have until the April 18, 2023 deadline to either submit your 2022 tax return or request an extension.

I hope you’ll find the below information from the IRS useful, and as always, please do not hesitate to contact me or my office for assistance.

Free File options through IRS.gov

Through IRS Free File, taxpayers can select and use commercial software to prepare and file their federal income taxes online if they earned $73,000 or less in 2022. For taxpayers who are comfortable completing their own tax forms, Free File Fillable Forms may be a good option. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly Locator tool is available to help taxpayers who qualify find organizations that provide free tax help for taxpayers with low incomes, the elderly and disabled, or people whose preferred language isn’t English. MilTax is a free tax resource from the Department of Defense available to the military community.

IRS tools and resources for the filing season

The IRS encourages taxpayers to use and bookmark tools and resources on IRS.gov, where tax information, support and account management tools are available 24/7.

On IRS.gov, taxpayers will find:

• Online account — An online account lets taxpayers securely access their personal tax information, including return transcripts, payment history, certain notices, prior-year adjusted gross income and power of attorney information. They can also pay their balance online or apply for a payment plan.
  
• Interactive Tax Assistant — Based on the taxpayer’s input, this tool provides answers to tax law questions specific to the taxpayer’s circumstances and doesn’t require a login. The system keeps provided information anonymous and discards all information when a taxpayer is done. 
  
• Let Us Help You — This page provides support for common concerns, like how to understand and respond to a letter from the IRS, or how to amend a return. Taxpayers also can get help with identify theft or tax scam concerns, payment options, penalty issues and more. 
  
• Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers — This tool allows individuals and businesses to search for tax preparers in their area who hold professional credentials recognized by the IRS.
  
• Where’s My Refund? — Using this tool, taxpayers can check the status of their refund within 24 hours after the IRS receives their e-filed return or four weeks after mailing a paper return.
  
• Credits & Deductions — This page allows taxpayers to find out what credits and deductions are available, how they work and who can claim them. For example, for tax year 2022, taxpayers can find out if they qualify for the expanded eligibility for the Premium Tax Credit. Taxpayers can also review the qualifications and their eligibility for clean vehicle credits, or learn why they can’t deduct charitable contributions for tax year 2022 if they take the standard deduction.
  
• Forms, Instructions and Publications — This is a library of IRS forms, instructions and publications on virtually any tax topic, many available in multiple languages and accessible formats.
  
• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers — Here, taxpayers can get plain language answers to the most frequently asked questions on a variety of topics.
  
• Where's My Amended Return? — Taxpayers can check the status of their amended tax return (Form 1040-X) for this year and up to three prior years. Taxpayers can still file their 2022 tax returns, even if the IRS has not yet processed their 2021 returns.
  
• Payments — Taxpayers can pay by direct debit from their bank account or choose an approved payment processor to pay by credit or debit card for a fee. They can also apply for a payment plan, learn about the IRS Offer in Compromise program and use the IRS Automated Chat Bot for interactive assistance on financial relief and other topics.
• 2021 tax return not processed yet? For those waiting on their 2021 tax return to be processed, here's a special tip to ensure the 2022 tax return is accepted by the IRS for processing: make sure to enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year's AGI when filing electronically.

The IRS provides information and resources in many languages and enhanced services for people with disabilities. Taxpayers who need accessibility assistance can call 833-690-0598.

Updates from Rhode Island

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Eugene Lee

This week, we mourn the death of Eugene Lee, a celebrated and innovative set designer from Providence, Rhode Island.

Perhaps most widely known as production designer for Saturday Night Live, he was the longest serving member of the show’s production staff, joining the team for the show’s debut in 1975. During his tenure, he created iconic sets including Wayne’s World, Putin’s office, and the More Cowbell recording studio.

He was also production designer for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon from 2014-2018, creating the Manhattan skyline-inspired set, and for Late Night with Seth Meyers.

He was a three-time Tony Award winner for Broadway’s Candide, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Wicked and was nominated for 18 Emmys, winning six. His was also a three-time recipient of the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design, and was presented with the Lucille Lortel Award, the Elliot Norton Award for Sustained Excellence, the Pell Award, and the DesignxRI Lifetime Achievement Award. He was an inductee of both the New York Theater Hall of Fame and the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

Eugene shared his talents with the Providence community as the resident designer at Trinity Repertory Company, and our arts community was proud and lucky to have him as a member.

Beyond his immeasurable talent, Eugene was a wonderful person, and I am grateful to have called him a friend.

My thoughts are with his wife Brooke, their sons Willie and Ted, his entire family and all of those who knew and loved him.

The world is a bit darker without his light. May he rest in peace.

Remembering CCRI alum and former U.S. Marine Pete Reed

This week, we mourn the loss of Pete Reed, a CCRI alum who was killed while on a humanitarian mission delivering aid to evacuees in the Donetsk region in Ukraine.
 
A former U.S. Marine Corps rifleman, Pete dedicated his life to the service of others. He was deployed twice to Helmand, Afghanistan, joined Team Rubicon in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, and helped to train medical teams in both Haiti and Iraq.
 
While rendering aid during the Battle of Mosul in Iraq, Pete and fellow veteran Derek Coleman decided to form Global Response Medicine (GRM), an NGO dedicated to “[serving] the world’s most vulnerable people in the midst of conflict, war, or disaster.”
 
This work brought him to Global Outreach Doctors, which he joined this past January to lead the organization’s efforts in Ukraine.
 
A remarkable man, Pete Reed was not only a veteran and humanitarian, but also a mentor to CCRI students and veterans. It is impossible to know how many lives he touched.
 
My thoughts and prayers are with Pete’s entire family and all those who loved him and called him a friend.

RI Gets Another $55.9 Million for Public Transit from Historic Infrastructure Law

For too long, we failed to make the big investments our nation’s infrastructure that are so desperately needed. Now, instead of piecemeal funding, the historic infrastructure law is providing sustained and robust federal dollars, giving Rhode Island the resources to meet public transit needs across our state.

This month, $55,901,972 in federal transit funding for Fiscal Year 2023 is being released to the state by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA), following passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328).

This funding will allow us to not only expand but also improve service for every rider. I look forward to continuing to work with RIPTA and leaders across the state as we make the most of these investments.

Expanded Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility in North Providence

For too long, Rhode Island has had a severe shortage of psychiatric residential treatment facilities, especially for children and adolescents. The need for a new Expanded Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) is well-documented, and the state has a legal and moral obligation to ensure its creation. I commend Governor McKee for stepping up and bringing together the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) and St. Mary's Home for Children to advance this initiative. The $11 million in federal funding allocated for this project will help ensure girls have access to a new facility that provides safe, quality, around-the-clock care for youth experiencing severe mental health and behavior issues and ensures they get effective, intensive, evidence-based therapy and wrap-around support and services.

Recognizing 211 Day with United Way RI

Today, I had the opportunity to join with United Way Rhode Island for 211 Day and celebrate all the work that United Way does for Rhode Islanders.

It is hard to articulate just how impactful the work of United Way Rhode Island is on our communities. This program is a critical resource for so many Rhode Islanders – often our most vulnerable neighbors and those who don’t know where else to turn during a difficult time. 

And the importance of their work was made even clearer over the last few years as we dealt with the devastating impacts of the public health crisis.

211 staff, volunteers, and partners were there to help guide those in need, whether they needed medical care, were struggling with food insecurity, needed job training, or help filing their taxes. And I know, firsthand, both during and  after the COVID pandemic, and for all the many years before, how important 211 has been for the constituents of the First Congressional District.

We also had the chance to recognize two honorees: Karen Jeffreys, Director of Programs at Horizon Healthcare Partners, and Jacqueline Reyes, coordinator of Federal Hill House’s Olneyville Food Center.

For decades, Karen has been a fierce advocate, fighting for social and economic justice. From her work at the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, to her most recent role with Horizon Health Partners, Karen has been deeply involved in our state, working to address hunger, homelessness, and health care.

Jacqueline and the Olneyville Food Center, located in the heart of the Olneyville neighborhood, provide a critical resource for so many families in and around Providence. Last year alone, Jacqueline and the team at the food center distributed 1.3 million pounds of food to our neighbors.

Thank you to everyone at United Way, its partners, and other sponsors for all you provide for Rhode Islanders!

Updates from Washington, D.C.

President Biden’s Second State of the Union Address

On Tuesday evening, President Biden laid out a clear vision for the future of this country: one in which every American can be financially stable and secure, feel safe in their communities, and have full faith in our democracy and democratic process.
 
Over the last two years, we have seen clear economic progress under President Biden’s leadership as we rebuild our economy from the bottom up and middle out. We created 12 million jobs in the first two years of his presidency, which is more than any other president has done in four. The unemployment rate is also the lowest it has been in 50 years. We have taken key steps to a create a manufacturing boom in clean energy, semi-conductors, and infrastructure nationwide, and now we need to finish the job by implementing legislation including the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and the landmark infrastructure law.
 
We must also continue our work to drive down everyday costs by fighting inflation and cracking down on monopolies and anti-competitive behavior that are resulting in Big Oil and other giant corporations seeing record profits at the expense of hardworking Americans.
 
The 117th Congress and first two years of the Biden presidency were among the most productive in history, and we must continue to build on this work and continue to deliver for the people. We have clear opportunities to further our bipartisan work supporting the President’s Unity Agenda by taking care of our veterans, battling the opioid epidemic, making real progress in the fight against cancer, and addressing the nation’s mental health crisis.
 
As we work to make our communities safer, the President is once again calling on Congress to send him the Assault Weapons Ban and get these weapons of war out of our neighborhoods. We made important progress with passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, but we need to continue this work if we are going to meaningfully address this country’s gun violence epidemic.
 
Just as we see reports of mass shooting every day in this country, we are too often faced with the cruelty and devastation of police brutality. I stand ready to vote for and once again pass the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act to finally take meaningful action on police reform. Police use of force is now the sixth-leading cause of death for young Black men in America. This is unacceptable and we cannot allow it to continue. Tyre Nichols’ mother and stepfather should not have to be at Tuesday’s address to put a spotlight on the harm Congress’s inaction is having on families all across this country.
 
I’m confident that under President Biden’s leadership we can deliver on the vision he laid out and create a country that truly works for all its people.

State of the Union Guest Andrew Cortés

Congressman Cicilline and Andrew Cortés on NBC 10

I was thrilled to welcome Andrew Cortés, Founder and Executive Director of Building Futures, to the Capitol on Tuesday evening as my honored guest for the State of the Union to showcase the incredible work he and Building Futures are doing with and for Rhode Islanders.

I was proud to stand with Andrew back in 2007 as he launched Building Futures and partnered with the City of Providence on this great program. It has been incredible to see how this organization has grown over the years, and I am thrilled that program participants will benefit from recent infrastructure investments Democrats are making through the landmark infrastructure bill and Inflation Reduction Act.

Building Futures has made a real difference in the lives of 380 Rhode Islanders by placing them in registered apprenticeships as bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and other union construction trade apprenticeships. Beyond construction, Building Futures has created apprenticeship programs for more than 40 new high growth occupations, which have now employed more than 1,800 Rhode Islanders in healthcare, manufacturing, and early childhood education, among others.

Supporting Brazil's Democracy

Ahead of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s White House visit with President Joe Biden, I introduced a resolution supporting the Brazilian people, democracy, and rule of law with House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks and Congressman Joaquin Castro, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. The resolution condemns the undemocratic attacks on Brazil’s government institutions and supports the free will of the Brazilian people as expressed in Brazil’s recent presidential election.

We need to be unequivocally clear that the United States stands with the people of Brazil and their democracy – and against any attempt to overthrow the will of the people. We cannot ignore the clear parallels between the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 and the attack on the National Congress of Brazil, the Palácio do Planalto (presidential palace), and the Supreme Court in Brasilia on January 8, 2023. We must stand against all actions that threaten democracy in favor of authoritarianism and chaos.

A copy of the resolution is available here.

Medicare Enrollment

There are two main ways to get your Medicare coverage – Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

If you did not sign up for Original Medicare when you were first eligible, and you don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, the next time you can enroll is during the Medicare General Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31 each year. You can only sign up for Part A and/or Part B during this period. You may have to pay a late enrollment period for Part A and/or Part B.

Click here for additional information about Medicare General Enrollment Period.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, January 1 to March 31 is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period during which you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan or switch to Original Medicare (and join a separate Medicare drug plan).

Click here for to additional information about Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period.

In Rhode Island, you can access the federally funded State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) by contacting the Point at (401) 462-4444 or visiting their website at oha.ri.gov/Medicare. There you can receive free, unbiased Medicare counseling year-round and during Medicare Open Enrollment.

Free COVID Tests Via the Postal Service

The Biden Administration announced yesterday that households can once again order free at-home COVID-19 tests though the Postal Service this winter. You can order your tests at CovidTests.gov or by calling 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).

Help with Winter Heating and Utility Costs

As winter approaches, it’s predicted that we are going to see a higher-than-usual increase in home heating costs. To help keep these and other utility costs down, I want to share with you some resources and programs that are available through our federal, local, and state government.

• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligible low-income households pay their heating bills through federal grants to the household. There are two components to this program: Heating Assistance and Crisis Assistance.
• The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) helps income-eligible households reduce heating bills by providing whole house energy efficiency services to households that qualify for LIHEAP. Some services available include installing insulation and providing health and safety measures including: installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, reducing drafts, and providing proper ventilation.
• The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), funded by the American Rescue Plan Act  and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, is available for eligible low-income households through September 30, 2023, or until funds are exhausted. LIHWAP helps eligible low-income households afford and maintain access to drinking water and wastewater services through federal grants. One-time payments are made directly to the household’s utility company.
• The Heating System Repair and Replacement Program (HSRRP) provides a one-time service to eligible homeowners to increase the efficiency of their heating system, or replace it if necessary. Households that qualify for LIHEAP may be eligible.

As always, if you need help navigating or accesses these resources, or have questions about other resources that may be available to you, my staff and I are here to help. You can call us at (401) 729-5600 or email me at [email protected]. 

Important Passport & Travel Reminder

As more Rhode Islanders and people around the world get vaccinated and boosted, we are seeing an increase in both domestic and international travel. With travel resuming, many folks are looking to renew passports and this uptick in requests has led to a backlog at the State Department. Turnaround time, according to the State Department, for expedited processing is now at 5-7 weeks and regular processing is taking 8-11 weeks from submission to receipt.

Before booking international travel, please remember to check the expiration date on your passport and plan accordingly. Passports last for 5 or 10 years, depending on your age when the passport was issued. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.

You can learn more from the State Department here.

As always, I am here to serve you. If there is anything I can do, please call my office at 729-5600 or send me an email at [email protected].

Warm regards, 

David N. Cicilline
Member of Congress