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Washington, D.C.—Action taken today by the Senate Appropriations Committee that would force the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to reconsider plans to reduce service to taxpayers was met with approval by the head of the union representing thousands of IRS employees.

President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) credited the leadership of Sens. Christopher S. Bond (R-MO) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) in securing NTEU-sought language regarding taxpayer service in the fiscal 2006 Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill.

That bill, unanimously approved by the committee, requires the IRS to take a number of actions to assess the impact of cuts in taxpayer service before any such cuts can take place. The IRS announced earlier this year that it would close 68 walk-in Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) as well as shut three of its telephone call sites and cut back by 15 hours a week the amount of time such telephone help would be available.

“The Senate Appropriations Committee, in a strong bipartisan manner, indicated that cutting taxpayer service should not be on the agenda of the IRS,” President Kelley said. “I am extremely pleased that members of the House and the Senate have taken action designed to ensure that taxpayers have available the help they need to comply with our nation’s tax laws.”

Last month the House of Representatives, in approving its version of the Transportation-Treasury funding bill, included language that required the IRS to seek a study by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) assessing the impact that closure of the TACs would have on taxpayers, before any TACs could be closed.

The Senate language is slightly broader requiring that TIGTA study all proposed cuts to taxpayer service as well as review the agency’s estimated costs savings. The Senate language also requires that the IRS develop a five-year plan on ways to improve service to taxpayers.

President Kelley noted the grassroots efforts of thousands of NTEU members in bringing to the attention of members of Congress and the public the detrimental impact of the IRS’ announced closures.

“Across the country, NTEU members talked to their congressional representatives and held rallies and press conferences that focused on the damage to taxpayers that this plan would have,” Kelley said. “These efforts will continue until the IRS agrees to put an end to the service cutbacks.”

President Kelley has been joined in criticizing and questioning the IRS plans by TIGTA itself, by the National Taxpayer Advocate, the public-private IRS Oversight Board and various public interest groups—all of which have warned that the cuts will fall most heavily on populations least able to deal effectively with them.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing some 150,000 employees in 30 agencies and departments, including about 94,000 in the IRS.