A group of House Democrats want to delay this year’s tax filing deadline to account for the five-week partial government shutdown.
Reps. Sean Casten and Lauren Underwood of Illinois argue that taxpayers need more time to ask the IRS question, since the agency was hindered for five weeks in December and January due to the shutdown.
Under the bill, the tax-filing deadline this year would be May 20 instead of April 15.
“When President Trump shutdown the government for five weeks, Americans were left high and dry,” Casten said. “When they visited the walk-in taxpayer assistance centers, they found locked doors. This is unacceptable.”
Republicans have blamed Democrats for the shutdown, which happened when Congress failed to find an agreement to fund Trump’s border wall. Democrats refused to allow any funding, which prevented Congress from passing any spending deal.
Democrats later relented and agreed to give Trump $1.375 billion to build border fencing in the Rio Grande Valley.
The shutdown forced most IRS workers to stay home, which Democrats said puts taxpayers at a disadvantage.
“[J]ust before many families went to file their taxes, there was a senseless government shutdown that left tax filers’ calls unanswered, doors for assistance centers locked, and 90 percent of the IRS workforce home without pay,” Underwood said. “This is common sense legislation that will help give taxpayers extra time to ask questions and file their taxes this year.”
