U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-3) today voted in favor of an approprations bill that makes significant cuts in funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), provides no funding for the IRS to implement the president’s health-care law and implements a series of restrictions on IRS activities in response to the agency’s targeting of conservative groups and other questionable activities.

Luetkemeyer, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, voted with the majority in favor of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2015 cuts IRS funding $1.48 billion below last year and nearly $3 billion below the request.  In total, the bill brings IRS funding below 2003 funding levels. The bill passed by the House provides $21.3 billion in discretionary funding $566 million or 3 percent less than the current level and $2.3 billion or 10 percent less than the president’s request. 

“It is abundantly clear to the American people that the power of the IRS has spiraled out of control under this administration and the best way to get this situation under control is to hit the agency where it hurts _-in its pocketbook,” Luetkemeyer said. “Federal agencies like the IRS must be held accountable and I believe the provisions contained in this legislation are the first step to doing just that.” 

Along with reducing the overall IRS budget and halting funding for the president’s health-care law, the bill also prohibits the IRS from implementing the law's individual mandate and the White House from preparing or implementing presidential executive orders that contravene existing law. 

The bill also prohibits the IRS from awarding any bonuses to its employees unless tax compliance and conduct are given consideration; prohibits any funding from being used by the IRS to create inappropriate videos and hold frivolous conferences; requires the IRS to institute and enforce policies that safeguard the confidentiality of taxpayer information and protect taxpayers from identity theft and requires the IRS to establish an employee training program that covers issues such as taxpayers’ rights, ethics, and applying tax law impartially.