Billy Long: We must stop IRS from trying to silence free speech

In his latest newsletter, Seventh District Congressman Billy Long writes about his Taxpayer Transparency Act and criticizes the Internal Revenue Service for trying to silence some political beliefs.

I am happy to report my Taxpayer Transparency Act was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives.

Every day, federal agencies spend money advertising various programs without mentioning where the funding for these programs or their ads comes from.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously said, “sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” I agree with that sentiment and that is why I authored the Taxpayer Transparency Act. The legislation is about shining a light on how taxpayer dollars are spent by requiring Executive Branch agencies to disclose that these advertisements are paid for at taxpayer expense.

Simply, the Taxpayer Transparency Act extends similar requirements already imposed on the House and Senate to the Executive Branch. As members of Congress we should all support an open and honest government, and this legislation does that by requiring Executive Branch agencies to be transparent with spending taxpayer dollars to promote federal programs.


Protecting Free Speech

All Americans had a right to be angry when we learned the IRS was being used as a weapon to silence the political beliefs of certain groups of Americans.

The IRS’s gross misconduct raises disturbing questions about the professionalism and neutrality of bureaucrats who are supposed to enforce the law in a fair, even-handed manner. Evidently there was a concerted effort by IRS agents to delay, deny and harass conservative political groups seeking 501(c) (4) tax exempt status under the tax code. This kind of unequal treatment goes against the very heart of our nation’s laws and our society’s sense of justice. All Americans, no matter what their personal circumstances or ideological beliefs, should be equal before the law.

Last November the IRS issued proposed rules to restrict free speech of 501 (c) (4) organizations, but other tax-exempt groups like labor unions would be not subject to the same the rules. The proposed rules would not allow 501 (c) (4) organizations to engage in voter registration, get-out-the-vote activities, or hold candidate forums without endangering their tax exempt status. The proposed rules would not impact 501 (c) (3) groups.

On February 26th the House voted to rein in the IRS when we passed the Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014 (H.R. 3865). This legislation prevents the proposed IRS regulations on 501 (c) (4) organizations from taking effect for one year to allow for the House to complete its IRS targeting investigation in an effort to stop the administration for targeting groups because of their beliefs.