WASHINGTON — The new Republican-controlled House passed a bill to claw back $71.5 billion in funding for the IRS that was part of Democrats’ climate, tax and health care reconciliation law last year.
The party-line 221-210 vote was the first legislative act of the new Congress, showing Republicans’ interest in proving their opposition to Democrats’ effort to boost tax code enforcement and crack down on tax avoidance.
Republicans’ bill doesn’t appear to have a path to becoming law with Democrats still in control of the Senate and White House and supportive of the IRS funding. Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a statement Monday that the bill would aid “wealthy tax cheats” and Senate Democrats “will not entertain it.”
