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Washington, D.C. — The Senate Appropriations Committee today moved forward in providing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with much-needed resources to better serve the American people and our national interests, said the leader of the nation’s largest independent federal union.

“With today’s action, the Senate Appropriations Committee took an important step toward addressing a detrimental lack of funding at the IRS that is hindering its ability to help taxpayers comprehend the complex tax code and collect the revenue needed to provide vital public services and pay down the deficit,” said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).

The Senate Appropriations Committee today marked up the fiscal year 2013 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations which provides the agency with $12.5 billion, a $702-million increase over fiscal 2012. Following a tax season with 5,000 fewer staff on the payroll compared with last year, Kelley said the funding increase was an important step in mending an agency that has fewer employees managing more and more duties and responsibilities.

“As the IRS workload continues to rise and the tax code becomes increasingly complex, staffing levels at the agency are 20 percent below what they were 15 years ago,” Kelley said. “IRS employees know taxpayers need assistance and want to help, but long hold times result in dropped calls when taxpayers give up in frustration.”

This was confirmed by the IRS Oversight Board, which reported this month that there was a continuing decline in the percentage of calls from taxpayers to the IRS toll-free number that could be answered. According to the Oversight Board, the IRS was only able to answer 70 percent of calls.

The NTEU leader also welcomed an appropriations increase to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) so it can continue to provide investors with much needed protections. The committee funded the SEC at $1.56 billion, $245 million more than fiscal 2012.

NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments. For more information, contact Dina Long.