[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 117 (Thursday, July 24, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H6756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          IRS NOT ACCOUNTABLE

  (Mr. GIBBS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. GIBBS. Madam Speaker, have you tried to use the excuse the dog 
ate your homework? Well, Lois Lerner, the former director of the exempt 
organizations of the IRS seems to think the excuse that she can't find 
her emails is acceptable to tell Congress.
  When the House requested access to Ms. Lerner's emails, the IRS had 
known for months that the hard drives of hers and many other officials 
had conveniently been destroyed. Government agencies are missing 
accountability.
  The American people have constantly been looking for answers as to 
why the IRS chose to harass taxpayers based on their political beliefs 
and restrict their First Amendment rights.
  The IRS is currently tasked with enforcing the failing health care 
law, and now, they are attempting to regulate free speech. The double 
standard that plagues the IRS must end. Asking Americans for years of 
paperwork regarding their taxes is simply hypocritical when the IRS is 
unable to produce information required of them.
  I know the investigations conducted by the various House committees 
will help to expose what really happened and work to prevent this kind 
of government overreach from occurring again. Government needs to be 
transparent and accountable to the American people.

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