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The House unanimously passed H.R. 997, which allows the National Taxpayer Advocate to hire independent legal staff to better assist taxpayers in disputes with the IRS.
This vote was on the National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act of 2025. The bill clarifies that the National Taxpayer Advocate—an independent office within the IRS meant to help people resolve problems with the agency—has the authority to hire its own lawyers. These lawyers will report directly to the Advocate rather than the general IRS legal team, ensuring the office has independent legal advice when representing taxpayer interests. The vote was held under a procedure called "suspension of the rules." In the House of Representatives, this is a fast-track method used for bills that are not expected to be controversial. It limits debate and prevents any changes from being made to the bill on the floor, but it requires a higher standard to pass: two-thirds of the members voting must agree to it. The bill passed with a unanimous 385-0 vote, showing total bipartisan support for strengthening the independence of the taxpayer's watchdog. The legislation now moves to the Senate. If it becomes law, it will formalize the Advocate's ability to maintain a dedicated legal team, which supporters say is necessary to provide fair and impartial help to everyday Americans facing complex tax issues.
The bill has been received in the Senate, read twice, and referred to the Committee on Finance for consideration.
OPEN BILL →Why it matters. This bill strengthens the independence of the National Taxpayer Advocate, ensuring that the office can provide impartial legal advice to citizens without potential conflicts of interest within the broader IRS.
Who’s affected. Taxpayers: Benefit from a more robust and legally independent office to help resolve disputes with the IRS. · National Taxpayer Advocate: Gains the explicit authority to hire and manage its own dedicated legal staff.
Democrats. All 94 voting Democrats supported the bill.
Republicans. All 91 voting Republicans supported the bill.
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
Mar 31, 2025
The House unanimously passed H.R.
997, which allows the National Taxpayer Advocate to hire independent legal staff to better assist taxpayers in disputes with the IRS.
This vote was conducted under a 'suspension of the rules,' a fast-track process for non-controversial bills that requires a two-thirds majority to pass. This process skips certain procedural steps to speed up the passage of legislation with broad support.
The bill has been received in the Senate, read twice, and referred to the Committee on Finance for consideration.
This bill strengthens the independence of the National Taxpayer Advocate, ensuring that the office can provide impartial legal advice to citizens without potential conflicts of interest within the broader IRS.
The vote was entirely unanimous, with every voting member from both parties supporting the measure.
All 94 voting Democrats supported the bill.
All 91 voting Republicans supported the bill.
The lone independent member voted in favor of the bill.