Washington, DC – Today, Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Charles Boustany Jr., M.D. (R-LA) and Ranking Member John Lewis (D-GA) sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Douglas Shulman requesting detailed information on the IRS’s information technology (IT) budget. With a budget request of $2.5 billion for IT in FY 2013, the Members requested a full accounting from the IRS to ensure that American taxpayers are receiving the maximum benefit from the IRS’s work and that the modernized computer systems improve and enhance revenue collection and tax return processing.

Chairman Boustany stated: “Over the last decade the IRS has spent nearly $20 billion on information technology.  Taxpayers deserve to know if they are getting their money’s worth.  These funds must be targeted at making it easier for families and businesses to comply and increase the IRS’s ability to detecting fraud and protecting hard-earned taxpayer dollars.”

Ranking Member Lewis stated: “The IRS’s information technology budget has increased to more than $2 billion annually over the last three years.  I would like to ensure that the investments being made improve both taxpayer service and tax administration.  Our voluntary tax system will be strengthened if we provide taxpayers with more technology to meet their tax obligations and provide the IRS with better computer systems to process tax returns quickly and detect fraud.”

The full letter can be read here.