Markup of H.R. 9496, H.R. 9500, H.R. 9498, H.R. 9501, H.R. 9499, H.R. 7972, H.R. 9504

The Ways and Means Committee Republicans held a markup session on July 1, 2026, to consider seven tax administration bills aimed at improving IRS operations, taxpayer protections, and transparency in tax-exempt organizations. Key procurement-related discussions included the approval and favorable reporting of several bills: HR 9496, which extends tax filing deadlines and waives penalties for Americans held hostage abroad; HR 9500, providing tax relief for fraud victims; HR 7972, establishing a data scientist fellowship program to modernize the IRS workforce; HR 9504, enhancing transparency requirements for tax-exempt hospitals; HR 9499, protecting taxpayers from fraudulent tax preparers; and HR 9498, allowing the National Taxpayer Advocate to file amicus briefs in federal tax litigation. The committee debated amendments related to funding, audit priorities, and transparency measures, with votes taken to adopt amendments and report bills favorably to the House. The session emphasized bipartisan efforts to address IRS modernization, taxpayer fairness, and oversight of tax-exempt entities, with particular attention to fraud prevention and taxpayer rights.