The U.S. House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight announced yesterday that it will hold a series of hearings on the tax-exempt sector and IRS oversight of tax-exempt activities. The first hearing will take place on Wednesday, May 16, 2012. Additional hearing dates have not been announced by the Subcommittee.
The announcement suggests that a far-reaching inquiry is about to begin, with reference to a number of specific areas, including the IRS’s colleges and universities compliance project, the impact of the IRS Form 990 redesign, and the connection between good governance and tax-law compliance. In addition, the announcement indicates that the hearing will review the history of recent legislative changes to the federal tax code dealing with tax-exempt organizations and what prompted those changes.
Subcommittee Chairman Congressman Charles W. Boustany (R-LA) has been focusing on the IRS’s “recent efforts to address certain concerns that have been raised regarding the operation of tax-exempt organizations, including corporate governance issues and mishandling of funds by officers.”
According to Rep. Boustany’s announcement, the goals for the hearings are “to ensure that the tax-exempt sector is operating in an efficient manner and that the laws governing tax-exempt organizations are being applied fairly and evenly.”
A witness list for the first hearing is not currently available. Written comments will be accepted by the Subcommittee if received by May 30, 2012. A copy of the press release announcing the hearings is available at http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=294777.