Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, already has a top agenda item in mind for Senate oversight hearings in January, if Republicans claim the chamber majority in the upcoming midterm elections (Nov. 8).
It involves curbing the Democrats' IRS expansion plan from the Inflation Reduction Act, which is slated to bolster the agency with 187,000 new employees or agents — at a cost of approximately $80 billion over the next 10 years.
"The money is flowing, and it'll flow as long as Congress lets it. ... We oughta stop [the expansion], or at least cut it back," Grassley told Newsmax on Monday evening, while appearing on "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
"I do not want to spend $80 billion for law enforcement," said Grassley, while adding the IRS oversight hearings — assuming the Republicans control the Senate in 2023 — "will be at the top of [the GOP] list."
In other words, Grassley — the former chair of the Senate Finance Committee — would have interest in performing a thorough review of the earmarked $80 billion.
"If there's more money for the IRS, and there's a [need] for more people to be hired, then they should be hired for customer service — not law enforcement," says Grassley.
The Iowa Republican also wants to execute a deep dive into exactly which groups would be subject to future audits, as part of the Democrats' grand vision.
That's why Grassley has requested the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) look into how the $80 billion will be spent — "just in case the Democrats keep control of Congress."
From Grassley's perspective, the Biden administration "wanted to assure everyone" the IRS expansion was only necessary to better monitor corporations and individuals making more than $400,000 per year.
"But we know that's not realistic," says Grassley, who's been a sitting U.S. senator for 41 consecutive years. "We know they're going after the middle class and small businesses."
Only time will tell if the Republicans carrying the House and Senate battles is also feasible. But should that happen, Grassley foresees serious changes with the Democrats' spending ways.
"If [Republicans] stick together, we can stop this" unchecked expansion, says Grassley.
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