TCS Senior Policy Analyst Joshua Sewell discusses the IRS backlog with News Anchor Blair Miller on KPVI News.

Watch below or scroll further down to read the transcript.

Matt Davenport: 

Tonight there are new calls for the Internal Revenue Service to make a few changes. This as people rush to file their taxes. Blair Miller has more. 

Blair Miller: 

Lawmakers in Congress are asking some tough questions to the IRS, and the IRS is responding with the resources it needs. Both sides want to make sure Americans get their refunds as soon as possible. The most recent numbers from the IRS show 17 million Americans have filed their return so far this year, but it’s the numbers from last year still hanging over the agency. Nearly 24 million taxpayers said to be waiting for their return to be processed from last tax season. Tax experts say it’s a problem that’s been bubbling up for years. 

Joshua Sewell: 

They’ve actually had a stagnant budget and a reduced workforce. Yet at the same time, lawmakers have been asking the IRS to do more and more. 

Blair Miller: 

The challenges continue to mount for the IRS. A report from the agency’s Inspector General found that the IRS faces a significant shortage in staff while forced to use equipment that’s out of date and can’t keep up today. In a congressional hearing, the Government Accountability Office laid out just how deep the problems are with the IRS not getting refunds returned quickly. 

Jessica Lucas-Judy: 

Delays cause hardship for taxpayers and can also cost the government money. In the last seven years, IRS has paid almost $14 billion in interest on refunds. 

Blair Miller: 

Finance leaders with the IRS had been warning Congress saying they’re in need of desperate financial help. 

Charles Rettig: 

We know we can do it better, but we need appropriate, mandatory multiyear consistent funding to get there.