Our hearings in September disclosed abuses against taxpayers and employees alike, and prompted the agency to initiate investigations and new policies that are already beginning to change the way the IRS does business. This committee supports Commissioner Rossotti and his efforts, and we realize that one of the most important ways we can continue to support his efforts at reform is through oversight. I am pleased that our investigation and related efforts have already prompted action from the IRS to take the steps they announced yesterday to improve the Criminal Investigations Division.
History is filled with examples where one or two congressional hearings led to promised reform.
But when the lights were turned off, and congressional interest waned, the reform efforts died, and the agency returned to business as usual. The taxpayer and the employees of the IRS deserve our vigilance. The IRS is full of talented, hard-working employees. They suffer under this current system, and they need to see how serious we are. Many thought our September hearings were a one-time event.