Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) joined Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dean Heller (R-IV), Mike Enzi (R-WY), and Johnny Isakson (R-GA), introduced the IRS Accountability Act of 2018 which empowers the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner the authority to fire senior officials for misconduct and poor performance.

“As a former small business owner, I know employees across the country give their all every day to support their families, and the same should certainly be expected in the federal government,” said Senator Scott. “The IRS Accountability Act, of which I am an original cosponsor, ensures that the IRS functions like the rest of American offices—if you fail to properly execute your duties, you’re out. Furthermore, it allows the IRS Commissioner to discharge any and all high-level employees, including Senior Executive Service (SES), when they don’t meet expectations. We need to rebuild the trust Americans have lost in their government.”   

Senator Burr stated, “In most workplaces in America, failing to do your job means you lose your job - plain and simple. However, that isn’t always the case in the federal government, where misconduct is protected by lines of red tape. This bill allows the IRS Commissioner to hold high-level employees in the Senior Executive Service accountable by clarifying that the Commissioner has the ability to fire officials for failure in their performance or for committing serious misconduct. After egregious scandals, like the inappropriate targeting of conservatives by the IRS, holding top officials responsible for their job performance is long overdue. With this bill, we can begin to restore the public’s trust in the competence and conduct of the federal workforce.”