Bill Text: OR HJM20 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

Oregon House Joint Memorial 20 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Urging Congress to investigate the alleged abuses of power by the Internal Revenue Service and to correct the abuses.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 23-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-07-08 - At Speaker's Desk upon adjournment. [HJM20 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2013-HJM20-Introduced.html



     77th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2013 Regular Session

NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .

 LC 4051

                     House Joint Memorial 20

Sponsored by Representative CONGER, Senator KNOPP;
  Representatives BENTZ, CAMERON, DAVIS, ESQUIVEL, HUFFMAN,
  JOHNSON, KENNEMER, KRIEGER, MCLANE, OLSON, SMITH, SPRENGER,
  WHISNANT, WHITSETT, Senators BAERTSCHIGER JR, CLOSE, FERRIOLI,
  GEORGE, KRUSE, OLSEN, STARR

                             SUMMARY

The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.

  Urges Congress to investigate alleged abuses of power by
Internal Revenue Service and to take legislative action to
correct abuses.

                         JOINT MEMORIAL
To the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United
  States of America, in Congress assembled:
  We, your memorialists, the Seventy-seventh Legislative Assembly
of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled,
respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas Oregonians are shocked and appalled by the recent
revelations of the widespread and politically motivated abuses of
power by the Internal Revenue Service; and
  Whereas the Internal Revenue Service has, for purely political
motives, trampled on the constitutional rights of our fellow
citizens, including but not limited to their First Amendment
rights to free speech and association; and
  Whereas the national media reported in May 2013 that the
Internal Revenue Service had asked which books the members of
certain political groups were reading and what they were posting
on social websites; and
  Whereas the national media reported in May 2013 that the
Internal Revenue Service had, in 2009, asked at least one
activist group about the content of its prayers; and
  Whereas the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
reported in May 2013 that Internal Revenue Service staff had
asked about the political affiliations of members of political
groups applying for tax-exempt status; and
  Whereas the national media in May 2013 also reported that the
same Inspector General's report indicated that previous abuses
had not been fixed; and
  Whereas the Internal Revenue Service is a part of the
Department of the Treasury, which is a department of the
executive branch of the federal government; and
  Whereas Oregonians support the equal rights of all citizens,
regardless of political or religious beliefs; and

  Whereas Oregonians oppose federal agency actions that
discriminate against our fellow citizens on the basis of
political beliefs, race, color, national origin, religion, sex,
sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability or veteran
status; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  (1) The Congress of the United States of America is
respectfully urged to take all appropriate action, including but
not limited to further investigation of Internal Revenue Service
actions and the drafting of any appropriate legislation, to rein
in the powers of, and increase congressional oversight over, the
Internal Revenue Service.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to the President of
the United States and to each member of the Oregon Congressional
Delegation.
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