WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two pieces of legislation introduced by Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18) unanimously passed out of the Ways and Means Committee today. H.R. 1759, the Building on Reemployment Improvements to Deliver Good Employment for Workers (BRIDGE for Workers) Act, and H.R. 1957, the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, which includes Rep. LaHood’s Improving Assistance for Taxpayers Act, will now head to the House Floor for a vote.
“With a record number of jobs available across the U.S., opportunity is at an all-time high and more people are back to work than at any time in U.S. history. This translates to not only more people earning a paycheck, but more individuals paying taxes. These bipartisan pieces of legislation passed out of committee today will not only help bridge services to train our booming workforce, but also empower the taxpayer as they seek answers from the Internal Revenue Service,” stated LaHood. “I am proud that I was able to play a role in this strong bipartisan effort and I look forward to passing these bills out of the House soon and urge our Senate colleagues to do the same.”
Background:
H.R. 1759, BRIDGE for Workers Act
The U.S. Department of Labor awards annual grants to states and territories so they can provide a range of services to recipients of unemployment benefits and help them find work. Services include individual career counseling, assistance with job searches, and information on the local labor market. Under current law, however, states can only use their federal grants to assist workers who are expected to exhaust their unemployment benefits before they find work. Full text of the bill can be found here.
H.R. 1957, Taxpayer First Act of 2019
The Taxpayer First Act of 2019 includes another piece of legislation introduced by Rep. LaHood, H.R. 1825, the Improving Assistance for Taxpayers Act, which will take steps to address systemic issues within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and expand protections for taxpayers by instructing the IRS to respond promptly to Taxpayer Assistance Directives (TAD) issued by the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). Full text of the bill can be found here.
