Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two bipartisan bills championed by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) advanced out of the Finance Committee today with bipartisan support. Senator Welch, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, partnered with U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) on the bills, which would support lower-income taxpayers in Vermont, Kansas, and across the country. Both bills were included as part of the Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act. “There’s bipartisan agreement that the IRS is difficult to navigate and a pain for everyday taxpayers. I partnered across the aisle with my friend and colleague Senator Marshall to advance policies that will make it easier for taxpayers to get help with the IRS when they need it most. I urge my colleagues to support these bills and all of the important IRS reforms in the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act,” said Senator Welch. “Taxpayers shouldn’t be punished for someone else’s fraud or left to navigate the IRS without the resources they need. These commonsense reforms protect innocent Americans and make sure accountability falls where it belongs—on bad actors, not hardworking families,” said Senator Marshall. “I was proud to lead these bipartisan efforts with Senator Welch, and I’m glad to see both bills included in the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act .” The Unlocking Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic Funding Act , introduced by Sen. Welch and co-led by Sen. Marshall, would make it easier for Low-Income Tax Clinics to access federal grant funding. These clinics provide free or low-cost services for taxpayers in disputes with the IRS. The Protecting Innocent Taxpayers from Endless Assessments Act , introduced by Sen. Marshall and co-led by Sen. Welch, would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify the statute of limitations period for victims of preparer fraud. The bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act would strengthen the rights of taxpayers, streamline IRS operations, and improve the taxpaying process for the American people. The bill passed with bipartisan support and now moves to the full Senate for consideration and a final vote. ###