Vern Buchanan Looks to Stop IRS from Collecting Old Overpayments

On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said he would introduce a bill next week to ensure the federal government doesnt go after Americans whose families received overpayments from Social Security and other programs over the last 50 years. Social Security estimates more than 400,000 Americans received overpayments of around $714 million.

Buchanan is already dubbing his proposal The Stop Punishing Innocent Taxpayers Act which would ensure the IRS cant collect overpayments from more than 10 years ago. Buchanan is the only Florida congressman who sits on the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee which oversees the IRS.

Pointing to reports that the IRS is going after the children of Social Security recipients who received overpayments decades ago, Buchanan said his bill was needed.

This grotesque abuse of power is just one of the many reasons why Americans are fed up with Washington, Buchanan said. The federal government should not be penalizing children because the government miscalculated the federal benefits for their parents. My bill will put an end to this outrageous and unfair confiscation.