A federal watchdog testified Wednesday that physical violence against IRS employees remains elevated, and is threatening the ability of the IRS to collect taxes.
“In the last several years, threats directed at the IRS have remained the second largest component of the Office of Investigation’s work,” J. Russell George, inspector general for Tax Administration at the Treasury Department, said in a Wednesday hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
“Physical violence, harassment, and intimidation of IRS employees continue to pose challenges to the implementation of a fair and effective system of tax administration,” he said in his prepared remarks. “The Office of Investigations is committed to ensuring the safety of IRS employees and the taxpayers who conduct business in IRS facilities.”
George added that his office places a “high priority” on its responsibility to “protect all IRS employees.”
Despite this problem, the IRS has continued to take in record revenues.
In fiscal year 2016, the IRS took in a record-high $3.25 trillion in revenues from individuals and businesses.
It also took in a record $1.08 trillion in the first four months of the new fiscal year, which started in October.
Despite these high revenues, the federal government continues to run a large annual budget deficit. The Congressional Budget Office is projecting a $559 billion budget deficit in fiscal year 2017, and will rise until it hits $1 trillion in 2023.
Republicans have said the deficits are a sign the government is spending too much, not that it is taking in too little in tax revenue.
