Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., recently unveiled a national petition that calls for defunding the portion of the Inflation Reduction Act which plans to expand the Internal Revenue Service by 87,000 agents over the next 10 years — at a cost of more than $80 billion.
And if everything goes well for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections, Buck presumes the next step after that would involve stopping IRS expansion in its tracks, as early as next January.
"What needs to happen is we need to stop funding the IRS until these provisions are rescinded. Make sure this huge expansion of the IRS is dealt with in the right way," Buck told Newsmax Tuesday evening, while appearing on "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
"What Democrats did was really sneaky. We cannot rescind [the Inflation Reduction Act] on an annual basis," explains Buck. Since it's a 10-year plan, "it's a pot of money that's just sitting there."
Adding 87,000 IRS agents over a 10-year stretch has the makings of a monumental buildup against middle-class Americans, along with political opponents, says Buck.
That's why, from Buck's standpoint, the time for reversal must come sooner than later.
"Democrats are hoping that, in 10 years, Republicans will forget, the American public will forget, or for some reason, we won't go back in there and rescind or cut back on the IRS," says Buck, who oversees the 4th Congressional District of Colorado, covering a large swath of land east of Denver and Colorado Springs.
"So, it's necessary that we deal with this right now," says Buck. "[As Republicans], this should be our No. 1 priority, in terms of protecting the American people."
The Republicans have executed proper oversight over Democrats and the IRS in the past, says Buck, pointing to the work of Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., in terms of "exposing" the politically charged scandal involving former IRS employee Lois Lerner.
"We need to make sure we're conducting oversight. We need to make sure we get rid of this huge expansion — and we will next year," says Buck, adding that IRS hires should serve a greater purpose than "harassing" everyday citizens.
"Americans at all levels should be worried," says Buck, explaining that large corporations have the resources to deal with IRS audits and inquiries.
As such, Buck says the IRS expansion will "affect small-to-medium-sized businesses the worst. ... It's the mom and pops who are going to get destroyed by the IRS."
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