At Hearing, Warren Expresses Full Support for IRS Watchdog Nominee

Hearing

"Thank you. And welcome today, Mr. Johnson. So the IRS brings in about 96% of the federal revenue that funds' investments in everything from roads and bridges to firefighters and schoolteachers. The IRS is also the largest benefits administrator overseeing tax credits that help millions of Americans.

"The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, or TIGTA, since we’re all into these acronyms, the job that you’ve been nominated for plays a critical role in making sure that the IRS is doing its job. So, Mr. Johnson, you’ve been nominated for this role, and you bring in experience from over a decade serving as a federal prosecutor, and your work as Assistant IG at the Department of Veterans Affairs. So today, I just want to ask you a little bit about how you would use your experience.

"Just last month, the Acting IG published a report identifying nine major management challenges at the IRS, from IT to taxpayer rights. It is a long list, because the IRS is a big agency, and it has a lot to do. So Mr. Johnson, what do you see as the most critical set of challenges, and how do you set priorities to make sure that the agency is addressing those challenges?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

"Well, I appreciate that and particularly your focus on the IT systems. I think that’s very important.

"The other report that I want to ask about is the TIGTA semiannual report to Congress that came out earlier this year. That report lists dozens of TIGTA audits, inspections, evaluations that still had unimplemented recommendations, some of them going back as far as 2016.

"Now, I will confess this is something that has long stuck in my craw. In fact, I helped pass bipartisan legislation in 2018 to require enhanced reporting of unimplemented recommendations at federal agencies. It makes no sense for the IGs to do all of this great work, and then have the agencies turn around and drop the ball or simply refuse to put those ideas into action. It is a problem at the IRS, but it is a problem across all of government.

"Mr. Johnson, I know that agencies are not required to implement recommendations from IGs, but how can you best ensure that the IRS is listening to TIGTA and acting on your recommendations, and the recommendations of your predecessors?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

"There you go. There you go. I appreciate that. When it comes to making the IRS more efficient or more effective, you have my full support. And if there's anything you need from Congress, I hope that you will return and let us know. Thank you, Mr. Chairman."

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