In observance of tax day, Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) wrote the following op-ed, about why Republicans have cut the IRS by more than $1 billion since 2011. 

Why Republicans cut the IRS

The IRS was out-of-control when Republicans took the House Majority in 2011. It was targeting private citizens and organizations based on political beliefs, wasting money on extravagant conferences and failing to adequately serve the American people.

Does this sound like an agency with too few resources and over-burdened staff, as some Democrats would have you believe? If you’re like me, it sounds like a bloated, unresponsive bureaucracy.

That’s why Republicans cut the IRS budget by more than $1 billion since 2011. If the IRS has enough money to spend millions of dollars on conferences that amount to lavish parties and enough resources to spend time targeting the administration’s political opponents, it has more money than it needs.

That’s just common sense.

As a recent Government Accountability Office report confirmed, the IRS has much discretion in how it allocates funds. And rather than spending its money on customer service, the IRS has chosen to continue making poor choices, spending its time and money on Obamacare implementation and other misguided priorities.

The IRS should redirect the existing funds it uses for these activities to provide better customer service and fraud protection for hard-working taxpayers.

When it comes to the tax code, most people — both Democrat and Republican — believe we need comprehensive tax reform. I am one of those people. There are some good proposals in Congress right now — such as the Fair Tax — that would vastly improve our burdensome tax system.

Regardless of what the tax code looks like, however, the IRS has a responsibility to serve the American people efficiently and effectively.

Hard-working taxpayers expect and deserve federal agencies to serve them responsively and spend their money wisely. The expectation for the IRS is no different.

As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services, which has jurisdiction over IRS funding, I will continue fighting to keep the IRS on a short leash.