U.S. Sen. Rick Scott has denounced Democrats for failing to stand up for everyday Americans by refusing to rein in “spying” by President Joe Biden’s IRS.
On Thursday, the Florida Republican pushed an amendment to the government’s temporary funding bill that would have prevented the IRS from carrying out two policies that Republicans warn will hurt individuals and small businesses, including gig-economy workers.
Scott’s amendment would have blocked the IRS from hiring 87,000 new agents, as was passed in the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act. The senator also wanted to eradicate an IRS requirement for people to report financial transactions of more than $600 made on cash-app programs like PayPal or Venmo, which was adopted under the equally misnamed American Rescue Plan Act.
In a Senate floor speech, Scott noted, “Everyone in this chamber has spoken about the pain American families are feeling as they deal with the raging inflation brought on by Joe Biden’s reckless spending. So it was shocking to many of us when Senate Democrats approved $70 billion to supersize the IRS with 87,000 new agents.”
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“That means more audits on families and small businesses just as they struggle to get by, thanks to skyrocketing prices.”
The senator added, “What’s worse, the Biden administration is also changing IRS standards to begin tracking every financial transaction Americans make in excess of $600, including on CashApp, Venmo and PayPal. It’s an outrageous violation of Americans’ privacy. It’s stuff we see in Communist China.
“That’s why I’ve filed an amendment to strike the funding for the new IRS agents and prevent the IRS from spying on your bank account. I urge my colleagues to protect Americans’ privacy, stop the ridiculous audits on families, and support my amendment.”
Scott’s measure failed 47-45 along party lines.
“I just gave Senate Democrats an opportunity to STOP the IRS from spying on your bank account & block hiring an army of 87K IRS agents to target YOU and YOUR SMALL BUSINESS. They voted no,” Scott tweeted on Friday. “Bottom line: Democrats again chose radical policies over Americans’ best interests.”