Data Foundation Endorses Three Bipartisan IRS Modernization Bills

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 27, 2026 — The Data Foundation, joined by our Data Coalition members, supports three bipartisan bills ahead of House floor consideration this week that each address a different piece of how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) manages taxpayer data:

• H.R. 6956, the BARCODE Efficiency Act (Reps. Schneider and Yakym), which modernizes how the IRS ingests paper returns by requiring scannable barcodes on electronically prepared returns and optical character recognition for paper correspondence.
• H.R. 7971, the Taxpayer Experience Improvement Act (Reps. Schweikert and Beyer), which establishes a real-time service dashboard with a public API, individualized refund and return status updates, expanded online accounts, and stronger oversight of authorized third-party access to taxpayer information.
• H.R. 6495, the Taxpayer Notification and Privacy Act (Reps. Steube and Panetta), which gives taxpayers specific notice and a 45-day window to respond before the IRS contacts third parties for information that could reasonably be obtained from the taxpayer directly.

Together, these bills advance core principles in our 2026 Advocacy and Policy Agenda: machine-readable formats, open data infrastructure applied to operational service delivery, and verifiable privacy protections that taxpayers can see and trust. Each cleared committee with bipartisan support, and each delivers a concrete, implementable improvement without expanding the IRS's footprint.

The American people deserve a tax system that processes their information accurately, communicates with them transparently, and respects their privacy by default. We urge the House to pass all three bills, and we look forward to working with the Senate to send them to the President's desk.

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About the Data Foundation

The Data Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that champions the use of open data and evidence-informed public policy to make society better for everyone. As a nonpartisan think tank, we conduct research, collaborative thought leadership, and advocacy programs that advance practical policies for the creation and use of accessible, trustworthy data. Our activities proactively address emerging data-related needs in the country with the goal of devising realistic solutions, accelerating policy coordination, and advancing innovation. The Data Foundation is recognized by Candid Guidestar with the Platinum Seal of Transparency and received 4-Stars from Charity Navigator. To learn more, visit www.datafoundation.org. (LEI: 254900I43CTC59RFW495)