Washington, DC -  Today, local Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand voted for the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act of 2008 [HR 5719], legislation that will simplify tax returns and assist taxpayers in future years.

“It’s tax day, and once again Upstate New York families paid too much of their income to Washington.  In Congress, I am working to bring tax relief to middle class families, seniors and small businesses, and this legislation will help streamline and modernize the filing process for taxpayers,” Congresswoman Gillibrand said.  “Furthermore, this legislation implements additional measures to prevent tax scams from preying on seniors.”

Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act of 2008 includes the following provisions:

Eliminate the special requirements for individuals to keep detailed records of calls made on employer-provided cell phones.
Stops federal contractors from using foreign subsidiaries to evade Social Security and other employment taxes.
Repeal the IRS’s authority to use private debt collection companies to collect Federal taxes. 
Prohibit the misuse of Department of the Treasury names and symbols in misleading websites and "phishing" schemes.
Protect low-income taxpayers by prohibiting IRS debt indicators for predatory refund anticipation loans, allowing IRS employees to refer taxpayers to qualified low-income taxpayer clinics, and authorizing funding for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance ("VITA") programs. 
Require the IRS to notify taxpayers if it suspects theft of a taxpayer’s identity. 
 

In Congress, cutting taxes for middle class families, seniors and small business owners have been one of Representative Gillibrand’s highest priorities.  She recently voted to provide nearly every household in Upstate New York with a tax rebate of up to $1,200 per couple, plus $300 for every dependent.  In addition, she authored the Family Care Act [H.R. 1871], which doubles the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and the College Tuition Tax Relief Act [H.R. 3388], which allows middle class families to deduct up to $10,000 in college tuition and expenses.  She is also a sponsor of the Property Tax Relief Act, which will allow all taxpayers to deduct their property taxes.  Finally, she has been a strong advocate for permanently fixing the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), and voted last December to prevent 23 million American taxpayers from paying the tax.