[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 184 (Wednesday, October 20, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H5706-H5707]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         PLANS TO WEAPONIZE IRS

  (Mr. JACOBS of New York asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. JACOBS of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to 
the Democrats' radical reconciliation package and, specifically, their 
plans to weaponize the IRS and dramatically expand the agency's reach 
into the lives of everyday Americans.
  Originally, Democrats' plan was to hire thousands of new IRS agents 
to surveil the bank accounts of Americans who have $600 or more in 
their accounts. While they have upped that amount in the legislation to 
$10,000 in deposits and withdrawals, this would still subject every 
American working at least a minimum wage job, who has a bank account, 
to government intrusion.
  I can tell you, and I think most of my colleagues would agree, that I 
have not had a constituent call and beg me for more IRS agents or for 
the agency to have increased ability to monitor their accounts. Rather, 
my constituents are concerned this proposal represents an attempt by 
the administration to weaponize and politicize the IRS and fund their 
partisan agenda.
  I believe Americans are entitled to privacy and constitutional 
rights. This proposal is a dramatic overreach and emblematic of this 
administration's

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priorities: expand the government's control over everyday Americans.

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