Ways and Means approves five tax-administration measures; heated debate over Treasury data access and pandemic UI fraud

The House Ways and Means Committee voted to report five bipartisan tax‑administration bills to the House on Feb. 11, approving measures that would let taxpayers elect direct deposit for replacement refund checks, allow the National Taxpayer Advocate to hire independent counsel, require clearer IRS notices for math‑error adjustments, extend the mailbox rule to electronic filings and payments, and lengthen the statute of limitations for prosecuting pandemic unemployment‑insurance fraud.

The markup also featured extended, at times heated, debate over recent disclosures that private contractors and outside associates were given access to Treasury payment systems — a controversy witnesses and members said raises privacy, oversight and constitutional concerns. Committee members repeatedly urged each other to use the panel’s oversight powers to secure answers from Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service about who had access to taxpayer data and under what authorities.

Why it matters: The bills move more taxpayer‑facing fixes toward floor consideration, aiming to reduce processing delays and improve notice clarity at the IRS. At the same time, the committee’s lengthy disagreements over access to Treasury payment systems and the handling of pandemic UI fraud signaled that oversight of payment infrastructure and data privacy will be a continuing flashpoint in Congress and may shape any subsequent floor debate or amendments.

Most important votes and outcomes

- HR 1155, Recovery of Stolen Checks Act — advanced to the House as amended (committee vote recorded as 41 yes, 0 no). The measure would let taxpayers whose paper refund check was lost or stolen request that the replacement refund be paid by direct deposit.

- HR 997, National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act of 2025 — advanced to the House as amended (committee vote recorded as 43 yes, 0 no). The bill…