U.S. Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Chuck Edwards (R-NC) are among a group of 27 House lawmakers that are asking President-Elect Donald Trump to end the Internal Revenue Services’ Direct File pilot program upon taking office in January.
The Direct File program gives taxpayers the option to file their federal tax return online for free – directly with the IRS – starting in the 2025 filing season. Direct File is currently available in 24 states, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington state, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
“Instead of Direct File, the IRS should be focused on improving its functionality and service to American taxpayers. Under the Biden-Harris administration, Americans experienced significant delays in receiving their tax returns, and the agency has failed to reduce the federal deficit despite the bloated enforcement funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. The agency’s existing issues will only be compounded by an expanded Direct File venture…” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.
It was signed by U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Carol Miller (R-WV), Mark Alford (R-MO), Rick Allen (R-GA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Mike Carey (R-OH), Ron Estes (R-KS), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Kevin Hern (R-OK) Erin Houchin (R-IN), Young Kim (R-CA), David Kustoff (R-TN), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Greg Murphy (R-NC), August Pfluger (R-TX), Keith Self (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Greg Steube (R-FL), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), William Timmons (R-SC), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Steve Womack (R-AR), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY).
Along with Trump, letter was sent to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will lead the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Copies were also sent to Treasury Secretary-Designee Scott Bessent and Russell Vought, Trump’s pick to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Smith and Edwards had introduced legislation in July to terminate the IRS’s Direct File program. In addition, Smith introduced a bill to repeal the Biden-Harris administration’s $80 billion program to expand the IRS.