Democratic Lawmakers Push Trump Nominees to Maintain IRS Direct File System

Washington: So, here’s the scoop. Some Republicans are pushing Trump to scrap the IRS’s free direct tax-filing tool. But Democrats, led by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Coons, are fighting to keep it alive. They believe it makes dealing with the government easier, which is something everyone can get behind, right?

In a letter to Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent and IRS Commissioner nominee Billy Long, Warren and Coons highlighted the program’s benefits. They pointed out that it aligns with the goals of the new “Department of Government Efficiency” that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are reportedly exploring.

The senators argued that the Direct File pilot program is efficient, cost-effective, user-friendly, and secure. They emphasized that it already meets the goals set by DOGE leaders. The program, which started in 12 states last year, is expanding to 13 more this year, with over 140,000 people having used it to file their federal taxes.

Filing taxes can be a real headache for many Americans, often requiring a lot of time or money spent on services like TurboTax. Warren and Coons noted that most folks have simple tax returns, yet the process remains complicated and frustrating.

Interestingly, in December, 29 House Republicans urged Trump to eliminate the program right away, claiming it gives too much power to the IRS. As for how the Trump administration will handle this, it’s still up in the air, and they haven’t commented yet.