{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-at-markup-of-taxpayer-assistance-and-service-act", "Crapo Statement at Markup of Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a markup for the Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act.\n\nAs prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cEvery year, tens of millions of Americans do their best to comply with our tax laws.\n\n\u201cThey prepare their returns, wait for refunds and attempt to respond to notices, only to find the system is more complex and less responsive than it should be.\n\n\u201cToday, we begin to address those issues through our consideration of the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act, or the TAS Act.\n\n\u201cThis bipartisan bill modernizes and streamlines IRS operations, strengthens taxpayer rights and delivers a more taxpayer-first system.\n\n\u201cIt reflects years of bipartisan efforts to translate stories of casework frustrations into tangible fixes designed to make the IRS work more efficiently for the American people.\n\n\u201cThank you to Ranking Member Wyden for his partnership in shaping this legislation and to the members of this Committee on both sides of the aisle who shared their ideas and proposals, many of which are incorporated in the bill before us.\n\n\u201cThe TAS Act incorporates more than sixty provisions focused on improving the taxpayer experience.\n\n\u201cSenators Young, Warnock, Cassidy and Warner championed provisions to improve IRS customer service by requiring the IRS to expand scanning paper-filed tax returns, online accounts and communication tools, including online dashboards and callback technology.\n\n\u201cThese reforms would slash wait times for Americans who often otherwise wait weeks for mail or spend an afternoon on hold.\n\n\u201cSenators Blackburn and Cortez Masto spearheaded a provision to protect taxpayers from penalties due to IRS delays in electronic filing by extending the statutory mailbox rule to electronic submissions and payments.\n\n\u201cThis change would treat a return or payment electronically sent on the due date as timely, just as it is for paper sent through the mail.\n\n\u201cSenators Scott and Hassan led provisions to strengthen fair judicial review by clarifying the Tax Court\u2019s limited authority to grant relief from final decisions and allowing courts to consider all relevant evidence in innocent spouse cases.\n\n\u201cSenators Grassley and Wyden drafted provisions that would strengthen the IRS whistleblower program.\n\n\u201cSenator Barrasso is driving a provision that protects taxpayers\u2019 rights by requiring the IRS to notify taxpayers before the agency contacts third parties to obtain information regarding the taxpayer.\n\n\u201cSenator Marshall is heading a provision that unlocks low-income taxpayer clinic funding, providing key resources for low-income taxpayers.\n\n\u201cAnd Senators Cornyn and Luj\u00e1n led a provision expanding access to the Tax Court\u2019s Small Case Procedure, which would give more taxpayers a streamlined and affordable forum for resolving tax disputes with the IRS.\n\n\u201cIn addition, Senators Thune, Lankford, and Daines have led amendments that have been adopted in the modified mark before us today.\n\n\u201cSenator Thune\u2019s amendment extends key tax deadlines for farmers and fisherman. Senator Lankford\u2019s amendment clarifies a tax-exempt organization\u2019s right to appeal adverse rulings of status to the IRS\u2019s office of appeals.\n\n\u201cLastly, Senator Daines championed an amendment that enhances accountability by increasing criminal and civil penalties for the unauthorized disclosure of taxpayer information while also ensuring IRS contractors who willfully cause data breaches are appropriately penalized.\n\n\u201cThese are just a sample of the many practical taxpayer-focused reforms included in the TAS Act.\n\n\u201cThe bill has drawn support from current and former National Taxpayer Advocates, as well as many practitioners who work within the system every day. Such broad consensus signals we are on the right path to better tax administration.\n\n\u201cAmericans are duty-bound to comply with our tax laws.\n\n\u201cThe federal government, in turn, should administer a tax system that is transparent, efficient and fair.\n\n\u201cBefore I turn to the Ranking Member, I want to thank Tom Barthold, JCT\u2019s Chief of Staff, and the JCT staff who supported the Committee\u2019s work on the TAS Act and helped members prepare for today\u2019s markup.\n\n\u201cYour hard work has been indispensable in bringing this bipartisan product before the Committee today.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-03T08:26:20Z", "2026-08-03T08:27:37Z"]], "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://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-statement-at-markup-of-taxpayer-assistance-and-service-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1897357180714607, "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"}