[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 156 (Saturday, November 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12095]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 2676

  Mr. KERREY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed immediately H.R. 2676, the IRS Restructuring Act of 1997, just 
received from the House 2 days ago, that the bill be read a third time 
and passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table.
  Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, may we have order in the Senate?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate is not in order. The Senator from 
Nebraska has the floor.
  Mr. KERREY. Mr. President, this piece of legislation passed the House 
426 to 4.
  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, the Senate is still not in order.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct. The Senate is not in 
order.
  Mr. KERREY. Mr. President, I thank the Chair.
  This piece of legislation will do what I think everybody in the 
country wants us to do; that is, to change the law, and give the newly 
confirmed Commissioner of the IRS the authority to run the agency.
  There are lots of other changes in this piece of legislation. It 
passed 426 to 4 in the House. It has the support of the administration.
  It should be taken up as long as we are in session. It was passed, I 
believe, almost unanimously once Members started to look at what is in 
the bill.
  It would enable the Commissioner to run the IRS, put together his 
team, to hire and fire, to provide positive incentives to reimburse 
employees, and establish a public board. It provides new accountability 
on the legislative side. It provides a basis to evaluate complexity, 
and provide incentives to move to electronic filing.
  Almost none of the things that I have mentioned, once people look at 
the legislation, are regarded as controversial today. In fact, when I 
point it out to people at home, they say, ``My gosh, I am surprised 
they aren't already law.''
  We have heard and continue to hear complaints from our citizens about 
the way the IRS is run. It is time for us to give the Commissioner of 
the IRS the authority to manage the agency and do the things that the 
American people are asking us to do.
  As long as we are in session, I hope again that Members on the other 
side will look at this bill. And I will say again: I hope they will 
resist. I understand the Speaker is going to still try, in spite of the 
negative publicity, to get somewhere between $30 and $80 million to 
have the IRS conduct a 14-question opinion poll about how the IRS is 
being operated. Our restructuring commission spent $20,000, and asked 
most of these questions. If the IRS was doing this on their own, if 
somebody discovered that they were going to take $30 to $80 million 
instead of doing customer service, and instead of working with 
taxpayers, conducting a poll asking a question, ``Do you think your 
taxes are fair or unfair?'' and then have the questionnaires mailed 
back to GAO--Mr. President, again the Speaker of the House has 
indicated that he considers a priority issue the need to appropriate 
somewhere between $30 and $80 million to have the IRS conduct a 14-
question poll. That is considered a high priority.
  I believe that if it was discovered that was in the bill, or that the 
IRS was doing this own their own, there would be 100 votes in this 
chamber against it--14 questions, $30 to $80 million. It is going to be 
mailed to every--
  Mr. GLENN. Mr. President, could we have order in the Senate? 
Everybody is talking all over the place. I can't hear the Senator, and 
he is only a few feet away.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate will come to order. Will the 
Senator from Nebraska yield?
  Mr. LOTT. Will the Senator yield for a brief question?
  Mr. KERREY. Yes.
  Mr. LOTT. Senator Daschle and I would like to be able to go over what 
we expect to be happening here the rest of the day, and tomorrow. I 
know that Senator Roth wants to respond. Can we get some idea of how 
much time the Senator from Nebraska is going to have involved in this 
discussion?
  Mr. KERREY. I would be pleased to agree to a UC to yield to the 
distinguished majority and Democratic leader, and then give the floor 
back to me. I would be pleased to do that, if you want to do a UC for 
that.

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