IRS enforcement off the table as funding in bipartisan infrastructure deal, GOP senator says

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) on Sunday told CNN's Dana Bash that the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure bill will not include improved Internal Revenue Service enforcement of existing tax laws as a way to pay for the $1.2 trillion plan.

It fell out after pushback from Republican senators and because Democrats are including a similar plan in their separate $3.5 trillion budget proposal. "That created quite a problem," Portman said. "Because the general agreement is that this is the bipartisan negotiated infrastructure package, and that we will stick that."

Bash then asked Portman what pay-fors the lawmakers may turn to instead of the IRS enforcement. The senator said that's still being worked out, but there were a "number of" options, including "one called the Medicare rebate rule that provides significant revenue."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up