House passes bill to repeal funding for 87,000 IRS agents

The House of Representatives on Monday passed legislation to repeal funding for 87,000 new IRS agents included in the $740 billion Inflation Reduction Act, which the Democrat-led chamber passed last year.

The lower chamber voted along party lines 221-210.

The successful vote represents a major early win for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has just emerged from a tumultuous battle with his party's conservative base, claiming the gavel after 15 votes with the promise of major rules concessions to the Republicans' right wing.

Republicans have long vowed to advance such a measure, fearing that the multitude of new IRS agents would disproportionately target low income earners.

It is likely dead on arrival in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The lower chamber earlier on Monday passed that rules package, which includes a "motion to vacate" provision allowing any lawmaker to call for a vote to remove the speaker, meaning McCarthy will have little room to maneuver against skeptical Republicans.