WASHINGTON, D.C. – Expressing disappointment with today’s Federal Employee Retiree Delinquent Initiative (FERDI) report indicating a 3% increase in the amount of seriously delinquent tax debt incurred by federal employees, Congressman Jason Chaffetz (UT-03) released the following statement:

“If you work for the federal government and you don't pay your taxes, you should be fired.  It is totally unacceptable to live on the federal payroll and not pay your taxes.  The Obama Administration has totally ignored this cheating.  Congress should pass my bill and hold federal workers accountable.”

This past June, Mr. Chaffetz introduced legislation (H.R. 828) which would terminate the employment of current federal employees and prohibit the hiring of future federal employees who have a “seriously delinquent tax debt.”  Similar legislation was introduced during the 111^th Congress (H.R. 4735).  Each employee terminated would be subject to due process.  The Daily Caller published a column by Mr. Chaffetz on this subject in March 2011. 

According to FERDI, more than 98,000 federal civilian employees owed $1.034 billion in unpaid federal income taxes in 2010.  When retirees and military personnel are included, nearly 280,000 people owed $3.4 billion.  Currently, only IRS employees can be terminated by their agency for non-payment of federal income taxes.

While the number of delinquent federal employees has remained fairly constant since 2004, the amount owed has increased 72%. 

(Source: Internal Revenue Service FERDI. Excludes federal employees who owe taxes but have entered into repayment agreements.)

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