[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H6076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IRS REFORM PROVIDING PEACE OF MIND TO AMERICANS

  (Ms. DUNN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Congress sent bipartisan IRS 
reform legislation to President Clinton's desk for his signature. The 
bill will protect honest, productive Americans by leveling the playing 
field between taxpayers and the IRS.
  Everybody has a horror story about the IRS and about one of their 
audits, so we took action. By shifting the burden of proof from the 
taxpayer to the IRS, taxpayers now will be innocent until proven guilty 
under the new law, just as any American is innocent in a U.S. court of 
law.
  For the first time, Congress extended confidentiality protections to 
taxpayers that covers the advice they receive from their tax preparers. 
This change should provide some taxpayer peace of mind by protecting 
them from IRS fishing expeditions at taxpayer expense.
  The IRS reform bill is an important example of how Republicans in 
Congress are working very thoughtfully and very steadily to improve the 
quality of life for all Americans.

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