On Thursday’s broadcast of West Virginia MetroNews’ “Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval,” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) responded to concerns about the increased IRS funding in the Inflation Reduction Act by stating that it’s not geared towards small businesses or people making less than $400,000, it’s only for “those complicated, convoluted companies that we have never been able to” pursue due to a lack of resources.
Manchin stated, [relevant remarks begin around 30:45] “That should not be a concern, and I’ll tell you the reason why. If anyone, and I would say this and make sure you quote me, anybody that feels that they’re being harassed or targeted, call my office. That’s all I can ask you to do. Let me fight for you. Because that won’t happen. This is — they just put a directive out, as far as the IRS office, as far as Janet Yellen and Treasury, nobody making — no household that makes less than 400,000 will be — nothing changes. Most West Virginians pay their taxes because it’s all earned income. They get a check, taxes are deducted from their check, and we go on. That’s how most West Virginians and most Americans, working people, pay their taxes. The people who don’t, have the complicated and convoluted type of style of how they get pass-throughs, what type of corporations they set up, they will be audited. They’re going to have to pay their fair share, and they’re all pushing back. They don’t even want to pay, the largest corporations in the country don’t even want to pay a 15% minimum. … We have over 50 companies like Nike and FedEx pay zero for this great country.”
He added, “This is not geared towards any small business, it’s not geared towards any family under $400,000, and it’s only geared towards those complicated, convoluted companies that we have never been able to because we don’t have the resources.”
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