Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Republican members of the Finance Committee have called on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to address serious data security shortcomings. In a letter to IRS Commissioner Werfel, the senators emphasized the need for greater accountability, transparency, and detailed explanations of the steps being taken to improve security at the agency.

The senators highlighted the importance of protecting taxpayer data and the urgency to address the long-standing security weaknesses at the IRS. They stated, "Preventing illegal access and disclosure of protected taxpayer data is an essential IRS responsibility, one of its highest priorities and one that is statutorily enshrined in the taxpayer's bill of rights."

The senators requested that the IRS provide a detailed explanation of the specific steps taken to address security weaknesses since the beginning of the year, along with a timeline of when each step was implemented. They also asked for an update on the current status of recommendations made by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) or the Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding data and IRS system security. Additionally, the senators called for information on the next steps and expected timeline for addressing any open recommendations, as well as specific actions taken or planned to make impacted individuals whole.

The concerns raised by Cassidy and Crapo are not new. For years, TIGTA and GAO have highlighted significant flaws in the IRS's data security systems and practices. In their October reports, TIGTA identified the protection of taxpayer data as one of the IRS's top management and performance challenges, while the GAO noted the IRS's ongoing struggles with safeguarding sensitive information.

Cassidy and Crapo were joined by several other Republican senators in signing the letter, including Chuck Grassley, John Cornyn, John Thune, Tim Scott, James Lankford, Steve Daines, Todd Young, John Barrasso, Ron Johnson, Thom Tillis, and Marsha Blackburn.

The senators' letter comes in the wake of the recent indictment of an IRS consultant for the unauthorized disclosure of private individuals' tax information. The consultant, Charles Edward Littlejohn, had access to sensitive taxpayer data without any masking or redaction of personally identifiable information. This breach of security highlights the failure of IRS systems and protocols to prevent illegal access and disclosure.

The senators' demand for greater accountability and transparency from the IRS reflects the urgency of addressing the data security shortcomings at the agency. They are calling for concrete actions to be taken to protect taxpayer data and to ensure that impacted individuals are made whole.

The IRS has yet to respond to the senators' letter, but their call for action underscores the need for immediate attention to the security vulnerabilities that have plagued the agency for far too long. The protection of taxpayer data is a fundamental responsibility of the IRS, and it is crucial that the agency takes swift and decisive action to address these security weaknesses.

The full letter from the senators to Commissioner Werfel can be found here.

Click this link to access more information: https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-crapo-finance-committee-republicans-press-irs-on-data-security-shortcomings