Emboldened by three days of allegations of IRS abuses, members of Congress now turn to a variety of proposals to repair and improve the tax collection agency.
"Americans are looking to us, to this committee, to ensure that integrity and fairness are the foundation of the IRS," said the Senate's chief tax-writer."We have identified many egregious problems in these last three days, problems that have devastated the lives of honest taxpayers," the Finance Committee chairman, Sen. William V. Roth, R-Del., said as he concluded hearings Thursday.
Roth's office, deluged by telephone calls, faxes and letters about problems with the Internal Revenue Service, said he felt "a tremendous responsibility" to ensure such abuses do not recur.
One top item on the committee's agenda will be confirmation hearings for Charles O. Rossotti, President Clinton's nominee to head the IRS. Unlike previous commissioners, Rossotti is a manager rather than a tax practitioner: He is chairman of American Management Systems Inc., a technology systems development and consulting firm in Fairfax, Va.
Much of the recent criticism focused on the IRS's need to improve technology and management skills, which the administration says Rossotti can deliver.
"Charles Rossotti has the combination of leadership skills, understanding of what serving customers means, and expertise with information technology that the IRS needs at this critical juncture," Treasury Deputy Secretary Lawrence Summer said Thursday.
IRS acting Commissioner Michael Dolan acknowledged problems exist and apologized to abused taxpayers. He said the agency has embarked on a variety of reforms itself that have led to improved telephone tax service, expanded telephone tax filing and a sophisticated Internet Web page loaded with tax tips and forms.