While Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid tries and fails to persuade Republicans to fully fund the fight against the Zika virus, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has found time to fast-track a pair of bills that would serve as back-door cuts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The bills fast-tracked by McConnell wouldn't necessarily cut the agency's budget but it would prevent them from hiring or spending money.
It's the manner in which the legislation would accomplish this that's truly ridiculous.
One proposal would prevent the IRS from hiring new employees until the Treasury Department either certifies that no agency employees have seriously delinquent tax debt or issues a report explaining why it cannot make that certification. Democrats argue the legislation would undermine customer service by making it more difficult for the agency to hire new employees. [...]
The second proposal would block the IRS from spending the user fees it collects without approval from Congress.
Are we certain that no members of Congress or their staff have outstanding debt?
How exactly is the IRS suppose to perform a roto-rooter on its employees and/or replace them if they can't hire new employees? How is the IRS suppose to collect that debt if it cannot hire and cannot spend the fees it collects?
"Bueller?"
The White House has stated that President Obama will veto these bills if they reach his desk.