Lawmakers blast White House for making it harder for taxpayers to receive full refunds

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Hawai‘i Democrat, joined 24 of her Senate colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to help Americans get their full tax refunds.

They are pushing for restoration of staff and resources at Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent office within the Internal Revenue Service that helps taxpayers resolve any issues within the the taxing agency.

Taxpayer Advocate Service could face significant challenges at its staffing level now when it comes to handling its caseload and helping taxpayers in Hawai‘i and throughout the nation.

The senators are urging U.S. Treasury Secretary and acting Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Scott Bessent to stop hiring freezes, reduction-in-force efforts and properly staff Taxpayer Advocate Service.

“[Taxpayer Advocate Service] ensures the American people have a voice within the [Internal Revenue Service] … ,” wrote the lawmakers in a letter to Bessent. “We are concerned that the recent personnel cuts at [Taxpayer Advocate Service] and the ongoing hiring freeze will greatly hinder these advocates’ ability to provide quality, timely service to taxpayers who need help.”

The letter goes on to explain that Trump’s Administration, since January, deferred resignation programs and efforts to reduce the federal workforce resulted in nearly 1 in 4 Taxpayer Advocate Service advocates departing the Internal Revenue Service.

Taxpayer Advocate Service’s fiscal year 2026 report to U.S. Congress said those losses created “vulnerabilities in service delivery … and taxpayer assistance.”

“We are concerned that the rapid decrease in staff will increase remaining advocate’s case load and taxpayers’ wait times for service,” the senators continued in their letter.

Taxpayer Advocate Service is considered the voice of the taxpayer at the Internal Revenue Service. It helps taxpayers resolve financial issues with tax refunds, filings and other problems.

The IRS hiring freeze — according to a Jan. 20 presidential memorandum — will remain in place until the Treasury secretary determines ending it is in the “national interest.

“We expect you agree with us that ensuring Americans can access their full tax benefits in a timely manner falls squarely within the “national interest,” the lawmakers concluded.

The letter was signed by Hirono and several other Democrats including:

• Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon.
• Sen. the Rev. Raphael Warnock of Georgia.
• Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.
• Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper of Colorado.
• Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
• Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey.
• Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington state.
• Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada.
• Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire.
• Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico.
• Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia.
• Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.
• Sen. Angus King of Maine.
• Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith of Minnesota.
• Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.
• Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
• Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont.
• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is an Independent, also signed the letter.

Full text of the letter is available online.