{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://scalise.house.gov/press-release/scalise-mccarthy-and-brady-object-irs-misuse-taxpayer-info", "Scalise, McCarthy, and Brady Object to IRS Misuse of Taxpayer Info", "2016-09-21", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "LA", "Steve Scalise", "S001176", "scalise.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013\u00a0House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Tx.) today sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen requesting information related to a partnership between Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the IRS, and their use of sensitive taxpayer information for an Obamacare marketing outreach campaign.\u00a0\nThe letter is in response to a recent CMS fact sheet, entitled \u201cStrengthening the Marketplace by Covering Young Adults,\u201d which discusses the Obama Administration\u2019s plans to advertise insurance options to individuals who previously sought exemptions from the law\u2019s individual mandate or paid a penalty. \u00a0\nIn the letter to Commissioner Koskinen, the members underscore that this campaign raises legal and privacy concerns.\n\u201cWe strongly object to any action by the Administration to improperly use sensitive taxpayer information to identify and harass individuals who have rejected the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) by choosing to pay a tax rather than be forced into a health care plan they don\u2019t need and don\u2019t want,\u201d\u00a0the members wrote.\u00a0\u201cIn order to facilitate this reported outreach, access to confidential return information is needed, which raises legal and privacy concerns.\u00a0 It also demonstrates the extent to which the Administration is willing to use the power of the IRS to insert itself into the lives of individuals who have made a legal and personal choice not to purchase a health plan.\u201d\n\u201cThe Administration should not be using taxpayer dollars, nor sharing or misusing confidential taxpayer information, especially in a transparent attempt to increase pressure on individuals to participate in what\u2019s left of a failing law,\u201d\u00a0the members continued.\nThe full text of the letter can be found\u00a0HERE\u00a0and below:\nThe Honorable John Koskinen\nCommissioner\nInternal Revenue Service\n1111 Constitution Avenue NW\nWashington, DC 20224\nDear Commissioner Koskinen:\nWe strongly object to any action by the Administration to improperly use sensitive taxpayer information to identify and harass individuals who have rejected the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) by choosing to pay a tax rather than be forced into a health care plan they don\u2019t need and don\u2019t want. One of the most important responsibilities of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is to protect sensitive taxpayer information.\u00a0 Recent reports have revealed that in order to prop up the failing health insurance exchanges created by the ACA, the Administration is planning to conduct outreach directly to taxpayers who paid a penalty under the law\u2019s individual mandate in previous years.\u00a0 In order to facilitate this reported outreach, access to confidential return information is needed, which raises legal and privacy concerns.\u00a0 It also demonstrates the extent to which the Administration is willing to use the power of the IRS to insert itself into the lives of individuals who have made a legal and personal choice not to purchase a health plan.\u00a0\nA recent Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) fact sheet, entitled \u201cStrengthening the Marketplace by Covering Young Adults,\u201d discusses CMS\u2019s plans to reach out to individuals who previously sought exemptions from the law\u2019s individual mandate or paid a penalty.\u00a0 According to the fact sheet, \u201c[f]or the first time this fall, we will conduct outreach to individuals and families who paid the fee for being uninsured, or claimed an exemption from that fee, for 2015.\u201d\u00a0While specific details on the Administration\u2019s outreach plans are still unclear, this description nevertheless raises significant concerns.\nThe ACA has caused great disruption in the individual health insurance market. We do not believe it to be an appropriate tax administration activity, nor a good use of scarce taxpayer resources, to use protected return data to direct taxpayers on their personal coverage decisions. Additionally, it is unclear what role, if any, CMS intends to play.\u00a0 As you are aware, the confidentiality of tax returns and return information\u00a0is protected by law in 26 \u00a7 U.S.C. 6103.\u00a0 It is implausible that information on whether an individual paid a penalty is relevant for determining ACA subsidy eligibility\u2014 the sole permitted use of this confidential data under current law. \u00a0\nThe IRS has broken its faith with the American people.\u00a0 There have been years of scandals and abuse of trust by high-ranking officials.\u00a0 CMS botched the launch of the ACA exchanges and continues to administer a program that is not stable.\u00a0 And now we learn these two agencies are collaborating on a project to harass individuals who have in fact already complied with the individual mandate.\u00a0 The Administration should not be using taxpayer dollars, nor sharing or misusing confidential taxpayer information, especially in a transparent attempt to increase pressure on individuals to participate in what\u2019s left of a failing law. \u00a0To better understand the IRS\u2019s use of protected taxpayer information, please provide the following information no later than October 4, 2016: \u00a0\n1. Does the IRS intend to reach out directly to individuals that paid a penalty?\n\u00a0 \u00a0 a. \u00a0How will such outreach take place?\n\u00a0 \u00a0 b. \u00a0How will individuals receiving notice be identified?\n\u00a0 \u00a0 c. \u00a0What is the specific tax administration activity this outreach seeks to accomplish?\n\u00a0 \u00a0 d. \u00a0Provide all copies, including drafts, of notices and other materials sent to taxpayers pursuant to this effort.\n2. Has the IRS formally or informally engaged in any discussions with the Department of Health and Human Services, or any other entity, over reaching out to taxpayers to discuss their compliance with the individual mandate, or the use of taxpayer information regarding any penalties determined pursuant to the individual mandate?\n\u00a0 \u00a0 a. \u00a0If such discussions have occurred, what is the intended purpose of the outreach?\n\u00a0 \u00a0 b. \u00a0Provide, all agreements, memoranda of understanding, or other communications, including all drafts and versions of such records, between IRS, Treasury, HHS, CMS, States, and/or any other entity related to the sharing of protected taxpayer information.\nThank you for your attention.\u00a0 If you have any questions about this matter, please contact Ways and Means Committee staff at (202) 225-9263.", 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": ["http://scalise.house.gov/press-release/scalise-mccarthy-and-brady-object-irs-misuse-taxpayer-info"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7523810490965843, "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"}