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IRS Commish Breathes Sigh of Relief After Inflation Reduction Act Funds Come Through

NNPA NEWSWIRE — However, recent actions in the House of Representatives have injected a note of contention. House Republicans voted to cut the funding of the IRS to undermine President Biden’s $80 billion overhaul.
The post IRS Commish Breathes Sigh of Relief After Inflation Reduction Act Funds Come Through first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

August 21, 2023

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

@StacyBrownMedia

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel commemorated the one-year anniversary of President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act by breathing a sigh of relief. Werfel called the legislation a game changer that injected a substantial financial boost into the IRS, earmarking tens of millions of dollars above and beyond its operational budget to catalyze enhancements and bolster enforcement. “For well over a decade,” Werfel told Forbes, “The agency has grappled with challenges.” The reduction in funding has resulted in decreased services and limited staff availability. In 2022, the IRS had 79,070 full-time equivalent positions, which was a 9.1% decrease from 2013.

Werfel explained that when the Inflation Reduction Act injected funding into the IRS, it led to a significant and immediate change in the IRS’s approach to taxpayers. This change also contributed to new recruitment. Werfel estimated that the number of full-time employees (FTE) was close to 90,000, considering the complexities of hiring in a changing environment that required balancing attrition and recruitment. While this figure might appear reminiscent of 2022, it stands in parity with figures from a decade ago. Werfel emphasized the significant impact of IRA funding on improving taxpayer service quality during the 2023 filing season.

However, recent actions in the House of Representatives have injected a note of contention. House Republicans voted to cut the funding of the IRS to undermine President Biden’s $80 billion overhaul. The motion was unable to move forward because it did not receive enough votes in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats. The measure ultimately stalled after passing the House with a partisan vote of 221 to 210. Democrats unanimously opposed it while Republicans showed strong support. Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) criticized Republican budget cuts, stating that they created an unfair tax enforcement system that negatively impacts working families while granting leniency to wealthy tax evaders.

Democrats responded by providing more money to the IRS, eliminating unfair treatment, targeting wealthy tax evaders, and improving service for all taxpayers. “Republican budget cuts created a double standard for tax enforcement that put too much of the audit burden on working families and ushered in a golden age for wealthy tax cheats,” Wyden stated. “Democrats passed additional funding for the IRS to fix the double standard, crack down on wealthy tax cheats and improve customer service for everybody else.” Wyden added that Republicans have now spent months distorting the facts because they want to frighten workers and small businesses, repeal the funding, and help wealthy tax cheats continue getting away with breaking the law. “The bulk of this funding, however, will go toward building up the IRS’s capacity to root out cheating by sophisticated, wealthy individuals and companies with highly complex structures,” Wyden noted.

For example, he said only a fraction of a fraction of large partnerships get audited today, even among those that are highly profitable, and that is because the IRS does not have the manpower or the resources to properly examine whether complex business structures are following the law. Similarly, Wyden said, wealthy individuals who can afford to hire armies of accountants and lawyers are able to stay ahead of the IRS and skip out on paying a fair share. “That’s who Republicans are protecting by spreading their falsehoods about 87,000 armed IRS agents busting down people’s doors,” he said. “The reality is, hardworking Americans who pay taxes out of every paycheck understand that they are getting ripped off by wealthy tax cheats who are getting away with breaking the law. They want it to stop, and that is what Democrats are working to accomplish.”

The post IRS Commish Breathes Sigh of Relief After Inflation Reduction Act Funds Come Through first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

2 days ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

3 days ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

4 days ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: