FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 23, 2010

Isakson Co-Sponsors Legislation to Make Seriously Delinquent Tax Debtors Ineligible for Federal Jobs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today co-sponsored legislation that would terminate federal employees and prohibit the hiring of individuals who have seriously delinquent tax debt.

The Internal Revenue Service reported in 2009 that nearly 100,000 civilian federal employees were delinquent on their federal income taxes, owing over $1 billion in unpaid federal income taxes.

"America's taxpayers deserve to know that those individuals working within the federal government must abide by the same rules as everyone else," said Isakson. "Especially at a time when Democrats in Congress are discussing the possibility of raising taxes on some, we must show that we are serious about ensuring that federal employees are following the law."

Under the legislation, the term "delinquent tax liability" is the threshold for termination and is defined by Section 102(9) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 as any tax liability that has been "finally determined." A liability is not finally determined if there is a pending administrative or judicial challenge. In the case of a judicial challenge to the liability, the liability is not finally determined until judicial appeal rights have been exhausted.

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