The White House and congressional Democrats are fighting to protect $20 billion in funds for the IRS as the tax collection agency faces significant changes next year.

As bipartisan funding talks near a key December deadline, Democrats are worried they’ll lose another $20 billion of the original $80 billion funding boost for the IRS passed in 2022 amid entrenched GOP opposition.

Democrats are already bracing for the incoming Trump administration and GOP-controlled Congress to take a hatchet to efforts to ramp IRS enforcement and update its technology.

President-elect Trump also said he will nominate former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) to serve as IRS commissioner. That move that would oust current IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel from the agency before the end of his term and give the Trump administration free rein to undo Democratic changes.

But the freeze on the funds could preempt that move, leaving Democrats in a desperate fight to preserve what’s left of their plans to bolster the IRS.

Senate appropriator and Budget Committee member Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told The Hill last week that senators are working on getting the funds released.

“This is something we are trying to resolve,” he said. “I’ve been in touch with the Treasury folks. I agree with them. It’s going to be very important that the White House take a firm position on this.”

If Democrats lose the funding, it would be the second $20 billion rescission from the now $60 billion funding boost for the IRS that was meant mostly to increase audits on the wealthy and corporations.

To maintain the IRS enforcement boost, Democrats are saying........

© The Hill