[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 148 (Friday, November 15, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2060]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF THE SERVICE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE HONORABLE 
                            CHARLES ROSSOTTI

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ROB PORTMAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 14, 2002

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service to 
our country that has been performed by our outgoing Internal Revenue 
Service Commissioner, Charles Rossotti.
  Commissioner Rossotti was one of the longest serving Commissioners in 
the history of the Internal Revenue Service and the first to have a 
five-year term as recommended in the landmark IRS Restructuring and 
Reform Act of 1988. During his tenure, Commissioner Rossotti provided 
the IRS with the leadership it needed as it went through the most 
dramatic change in its history. The structural and cultural reforms he 
implemented will have a positive impact on both the IRS and taxpayers 
for many years to come.
  Under Commissioner Rossotti's leadership, the IRS was reorganized 
into four divisions, each of which is responsible for a specific 
segment of taxpayers. This model allows taxpayers to receive expert and 
personalized service and permits the IRS to more efficiently use its 
resources. Another significant accomplishment under Commissioner 
Rossotti's watch is the expanded ability to exchange data 
electronically. During the last tax season, nearly one in three Form 
1040s was filed electronically, and the IRS Web site has become one of 
the most popular sites on the Internet. Charles has managed the 
implementation of many taxpayer rights contained in the IRS 
restructuring law, such as the innocent spouse and collection due 
process protections, and has strengthened the role of the National 
Taxpayer Advocate.
  Commissioner Rossotti's accomplishments have set the IRS on the right 
track to providing top-quality service and fairness to all taxpayers. 
He is to be commended for his efforts to transform the IRS into a 
performance-based organization, and dispel the belief that customer 
service and enforcement are mutually exclusive. Perhaps the broadest 
indicator of Commissioner Rossotti's impact on the IRS has been the 
steady rise in the public perception of the IRS in the last four years.
  Mr. Speaker, Charles accomplished all of this at a time in his life 
when he was ready to leave full-time employment and enjoy a slower 
paced life. He and his wife, Barbara, put their personal plans on hold 
for the past five years while he served our country nobly and well. He 
is a true citizen servant in the great tradition of the Roman hero 
Cincinnatus. Our country owes him a debt of gratitude for his 
outstanding public service. We wish Charles and Barbara the very best.

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