S. 1444 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Apr 10, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryBars federal workers with serious tax debt
This bill prevents people with seriously delinquent tax debt from being hired as federal employees and stops current federal employees in that situation from keeping their jobs. The bill also requires the IRS to publish an annual report showing which federal employees and retirees have unpaid taxes or unfiled tax returns.
How it affects you
If you work for the federal government or want to, this could directly affect you. Under this bill, you could be disqualified from federal employment or face losing your job if you have serious unpaid tax debt. The bill aims to ensure that federal employees are current on their own tax obligations.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Apr 10, 2025)
Tax Delinquencies and Overdue Debts are Government Employees Responsibility Act or the Tax DODGER Act
This bill disqualifies individuals with delinquent tax debt from federal employment and requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to regularly publish a report on the tax liabilities of federal employees.
Specifically, the bill disqualifies both applicants and current employees with seriously delinquent tax debt from federal employment. The bill defines seriously delinquent tax debt as a federal tax liability that has been assessed by the IRS and that may be collected via levy or court proceeding, with specified exceptions. Agencies must provide for appropriate review of public records to determine if there are any liens against applicants or current employees, and may take certain personnel actions against employees who willfully fail to file taxes or understate their liability.
The bill also directs the IRS to publish an annual report on current and retired federal civilian and military employees who have delinquent tax debt or an unfiled tax return for the most recent fiscal year. (The IRS currently investigates and reports on similar information through its Federal Employee/Retiree Delinquency Initiative, or FERDI.)
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 1444
A BILL
Tax DODGER Act
Sponsor: Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) · Introduced Apr 10, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 10, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.”