Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and other Republican Finance Committee members have urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to address its data security weaknesses and provide greater accountability and transparency. In a letter to IRS Commissioner Werfel, the senators expressed their concerns about the agency's failure to prevent illegal access and disclosure of taxpayer data, which is a primary responsibility of the IRS.

The senators emphasized the need for the IRS to take responsibility for its failures and provide a detailed explanation of the steps it has taken to address security weaknesses. They also called for a timeline of when these steps were taken and the current status of recommendations made by oversight bodies such as the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) since January 2020.

The senators highlighted the long-standing challenges the IRS has faced in safeguarding sensitive information, as noted in reports by TIGTA and GAO. TIGTA identified the protection of taxpayer data as one of the IRS's top management and performance challenges, while the GAO noted that the IRS has struggled with unresolved issues in data security.

Joining Cassidy and Crapo in signing the letter were U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Thune (R-SD), Tim Scott (R-SC), James Lankford (R-OK), Steve Daines (R-MT), Todd Young (R-IN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

In their letter, the senators addressed a recent incident involving the unauthorized disclosure of protected taxpayer information by an IRS contractor. They highlighted that the contractor had access to sensitive taxpayer data without any masking or redaction of personally identifiable information. The IRS's security systems and protocols failed to prevent the contractor from illegally stealing and disclosing the information.

The senators emphasized that the IRS's duty to prevent illegal access and disclosure of taxpayer data is crucial and should not be disregarded. They called on the IRS to be accountable for its failures and provide a detailed explanation of the steps it has taken to address security weaknesses.

The full letter can be read here.

This call for greater accountability and transparency in addressing data security shortcomings at the IRS comes in the wake of continued oversight reports and the recent indictment of an IRS consultant for the disclosure of private individuals' tax information. The senators are pushing for the IRS to take immediate action to address these concerns and ensure the protection of taxpayer data.

Click this link to access more information: https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cassidy-crapo-finance-committee-republicans-press-irs-on-data-security-shortcomings-2/