{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://roskam.house.gov/House-Unanimously-Passes-RESPECT-Act", "House Unanimously Votes to End IRS Forfeiture Abuse", "2016-09-22", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Peter Roskam", "R000580", "roskam.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Today, the House of Representatives voted 415-0 to unanimously pass the \u201cClyde-Hirsch-Sowers-RESPECT Act\u201d to rein in IRS asset forfeiture abuse in structuring cases. The bill, introduced by U.S. Representatives Peter J. Roskam (R-IL), Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Oversight, and Joseph Crowley (D-NY), is named for Andrew Clyde; Jeffrey, Richard, and Mitch Hirsch; and Randy Sowers \u2013 all small business owners victimized by the IRS.\nChairman Roskam issued the following statement:\n\u201cToday we took a big step toward delivering justice for victims of IRS abuse. It\u2019s clear to everyone involved that the IRS and DOJ abused their authority and took money from people who did nothing wrong. With today\u2019s legislation, we\u2019re making sure they can never do it again. I want to thank the Clyde, Hirsch, Sowers, and Taylor families for their bravery and willingness to share their stories in the hopes of preventing future injustice. I appreciate the support of Ranking Member John Lewis and Congressman Joe Crowley on this bipartisan bill. I\u2019m glad we can finally put this ugly chapter to rest.\u201d\nRep. Crowley issued the following statement:\n\u201cCivil asset forfeiture might have started out as a way to combat criminal activity but it has morphed into a complicated process that unfairly entangles innocent people. There is no question that the laws were deeply flawed and the process was riddled with abuse. I was proud to work with Congressman Roskam on this legislation, and I\u2019m pleased that we are one step closer to it becoming a reality.\u201d\nU.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have introduced companion legislation and expect the upper chamber to pass the measure in short order.\nBackground\nIn May, Chairman Roskam\u2019s Ways & Means Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing on Protecting Small Businesses From IRS Abuse. Both Republicans and Democrats expressed outrage over the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Justice (DOJ)\u2019s actions to seize the bank accounts of law-abiding American citizens. Watch Chairman Roskam\u2019s opening statement here and read the remarks here.\nIn June, under intense pressure from Congress, the IRS finally agreed to send letters to everyone from whom it had seized assets based on allegations of \u201cstructuring\u201d cash deposits. These people, who had done nothing wrong, can finally get some or all of their money back.\nRandy Sowers, a Maryland dairy farmer who testified at the May hearing, finally got his money back in July as a result of the Subcommittee\u2019s work.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://roskam.house.gov/House-Unanimously-Passes-RESPECT-Act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5027259942144156, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}