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Floor Speech

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Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, I certainly have no sympathy for leakers, and I want to make a couple of points to make it clear why I am going to oppose this proposal.

First of all, the biggest leakers of taxpayer data are the big tax software companies. We never hear a peep from our colleagues on the other side about that. In fact, my Republican colleagues try, with every piece of legislation where there is a possible connection, to get rid of the IRS's new direct-file system that allows taxpayers to avoid the big tax prep companies who overcharge them and give away their data.

My view is, it makes no sense to create an even larger double standard--a life sentence for nonviolent offenders. That seems disproportionate to the whole concept of potentially zero penalty for big corporations that leak all the time.

Second, let's talk about the system this proposal would protect. It is a system that allows the people at the very, very top to pay what they want, when they want to, and, often, sometimes nothing at all for years on end. Some of the wealthiest folks--the people at the very top--pay zero for years on end, including the ex-President.

So my view is the American people ought to have more information about the tax schemes the ultrawealthy are playing, not less.

I want to make it clear, again, I take a backseat to no one when it comes to protecting taxpayer data. But the tax games of the ultrawealthy are not a state secret that ought to be protected like the nuclear codes. The Congress ought to be doing more for tax transparency. I am happy to have that discussion.

Meanwhile, the Senate should not go out of its way to help the system that helps the ultrawealthy hide in the shadows and dodge paying their fair share.

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