Congressional Republicans aim to strip the IRS of its firearms with a new bill that would force the tax collection agency to auction off millions of dollars worth of weapons and ammunition.
At a Glance
- House Republicans introduced the “Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act” to disarm the tax agency
- Since 2006, the IRS has spent $35.2 million on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment
- The bill would require the IRS to auction its weapons to licensed dealers and sell ammunition to the public
- Proceeds from sales would go toward deficit reduction
- The legislation would transfer the IRS Criminal Investigation Division to the Department of Justice
Disarming the Tax Collectors
A group of House Republicans are pushing legislation that would fundamentally change how the Internal Revenue Service operates by stripping the agency of its firearms and ammunition. The bill, titled the “Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act,” would prohibit the tax collection agency from using funds to purchase, receive, or store firearms and ammunition. It would also require the IRS to transfer its current arsenal to the Administrator of General Services to be sold or auctioned to licensed dealers, with proceeds going to the Treasury’s general fund for deficit reduction.
The measure was introduced by Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) with support from GOP Representatives Harriet Hageman (Wyo.), Mary Miller (Ill.), and Clay Higgins (La.). The legislation comes amid growing Republican concerns about the expansion of the IRS under the Biden administration, particularly following the agency’s receipt of nearly $80 billion in additional funding through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, though some of that funding has since been rescinded.
Millions Spent on Weaponry
According to data cited by the bill’s supporters, the IRS has spent $35.2 million on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment since 2006, with approximately $10 million of that spending occurring since 2020. The purchases include $2.3 million for ammunition, $1.2 million for ballistic shields, $474,000 for Smith & Wesson rifles, and $463,000 for Beretta 1301 tactical shotguns. These figures have raised questions about why a tax collection agency needs such an extensive arsenal.
“The IRS has consistently been weaponized against American citizens, targeted religious organizations, journalists, gun owners, and everyday Americans. Arming these agents does not make the American public safer. My legislation, the Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act, would disarm these agents, auction off their guns to Federal Firearms License Owners, and sell their ammunition to the public. The only thing IRS agents should be armed with are calculators,” said Rep. Barry Moore.
The bill’s supporters argue that the IRS should focus on its stated mission rather than enforcement activities that require firearms. The IRS describes its mission as providing “America’s taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and to enforce the law with integrity and fairness to all.” Critics question whether armed agents are necessary to fulfill this mission.
Restructuring Criminal Investigations
A key component of the proposed legislation would transfer the IRS Criminal Investigation Division to the Department of Justice as a distinct entity. This move would fundamentally reshape how tax-related criminal investigations are conducted and supervised. Currently, the Criminal Investigation Division is the law enforcement branch of the IRS that investigates potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes. Under the proposed bill, these functions would move to the Justice Department, which already handles prosecution of tax crimes.
“There is absolutely zero justification for wasting taxpayer dollars to arm a federal agency that was never meant to act as an enforcement arm of the government. The IRS doesn’t need a stockpile of guns and ammunition — it needs proper transparency, oversight, and accountability,” said Mary Miller.
Other Republican lawmakers have expressed similar concerns about what they view as an increasingly militarized tax agency. Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, a co-sponsor of the bill, stated that “the weaponization of the IRS against working Americans is a threat to our Constitutional freedoms” and that “IRS agents should not hit homes and businesses like SWAT teams.” The legislation reflects growing conservative concerns about the expansion of federal agencies’ law enforcement capabilities beyond their core missions.
