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Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Revitalize the IRS Whistleblower Program: Congress Must Act Now - Whistleblower Network News

For nearly two decades, the IRS Whistleblower Program has uncovered large-scale tax evasion. Powered by insiders exposing fraud, it has helped recover over $7.5 billion from wealthy tax cheats and noncompliant corporations.

But the program is now faltering—with serious consequences.

Whistleblower recoveries have dropped by more than 80%. Whistleblowers now wait an average of 11 years to receive payment, often after losing their jobs, facing retaliation, and struggling financially. Delayed justice fails whistleblowers and discourages others from coming forward, weakening the IRS’s enforcement capabilities and harming deserving whistleblowers.

That is why this week’s vote is so critical.

The House Ways and Means Committee will consider H.R. 7959, the IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act. This bipartisan bill targets long payment delays for whistleblower awards, the program’s main flaw.

The bill would require the IRS to pay interest on overdue awards. This creates accountability for timely payments and restores trust. Courts will also be able to review the facts of award disputes, rather than leaving decisions to the agency, allowing for crucial oversight of award determinations. Finally, the bill would strengthen protections for whistleblowers’ anonymity.

These reforms are practical. They answer concerns from the National Whistleblower Center and experts like whistleblower attorney Stephen M. Kohn. These experts have shown how delays and procedural hurdles hurt program...



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