WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) joined House Republican Leadership at a weekly press briefing to discuss Tax Day and the need for a new IRS.

Remarks as delivered below:  

“Tax Day is the worst day of the year for most Americans. Tax week is the worst week––everyone in my house is in a bad mood during tax week. And for good reason–– the tax code we’ve got today.  It is complicated, it’s unfair, it’s just wrong. And the good news is today is the last time Americans will have to file their taxes under that old, broken, complicated tax code.

“Going forward, Americans are going to be able to keep more of what they earn––especially for those two-parent households, for that single mom fighting for the future of her daughter, for that mom-and-pop spending countless hours working through the weekends, risking everything to make their small business a success––they all win under this new tax code. And clearly America’s back––America’s back in a big way. We’re no longer chasing the world.  Now, the world is chasing us and we’re seeing those hundreds of billions of dollars come back from overseas to be invested here in America––in our communities, in our economies, in our jobs, and in our retirement system. 

“And starting next year, nearly 9 out of 10 Americans will be able to file their taxes using a simple postcard-style system––so they have more time to spend with their family and less time trying to collect their receipts and keep all of the complicated forms that are required to address the old tax code that we’re filing under today. 

“Final point: Congress this week, the House this week, will undertake the first major reform of the IRS in more than two decades. A new tax code really demands a new tax collector––and, Republicans and Democrats together, are launching reforms that create a ‘Taxpayer First’ IRS. 

“Our goal is to redesign, refocus, and rein in the IRS. Redesign the IRS by insisting they bring back to Congress a comprehensive restructuring of the organization to focus on customer service. Making sure there’s truly an independent appeals process that puts taxpayers on the same level as the IRS so disputes can be handled more affordably, more fairly, and more quickly. And insisting that the IRS do far more to modernize to protect personal taxpayer information––something that frankly, today, they fail at in a major way.

“We redesign the IRS to focus on customer service — not only insisting on a comprehensive customer service plan but making the changes that bring the IRS into the 21^st century. We shouldn’t have to use fax machines and outdated technology that our kids wouldn’t recognize in order to deal with, and get fair customer service out of, the IRS. 

“And then we rein in the abuses of the IRS by making sure they can no longer seize your assets––or those of your small business ––without due process. So that they can’t do things like when you’re being audited: just contacting your neighbors, your co-workers, your customers, and clients, in a way to pressure you to resolve that audit. So we really create fairness and a higher level of service for taxpayers. 

“This was done over the past two and a half years through a number of hearings and roundtables in the Ways and Means Committee. This is a bipartisan effort led by Lynn Jenkins of Kansas, and John Lewis of Georgia, and reflects work done by more than a dozen Members of the House. So today is about a day to celebrate a new tax code going forward, and the work to develop a new IRS going forward as well.  

“And final point: I want to thank our leadership––Speaker Ryan, Leader McCarthy, Cathy McMorris Rodgers our Conference Chair, and our Whip Steve Scalise––for the remarkable work they’ve done to make sure Americans have a new, fairer tax code.  It wouldn’t have happened but for their remarkable work, and for that, I’m very grateful.”

READ: Chairman Brady’s op-ed in USA Today on Tax Day.
READ: Chairman Brady’s op-ed in the Houston Chronicle on a new IRS.