H.R. 5349
TAS Act
Sponsor: Nathaniel Moran
1 cosponsor
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Tax Court Improvement Act
This bill expands the authority of the U.S. Tax Court to issue subpoenas, authorizes the Tax Court to extend certain petition deadlines, and makes other changes related to Tax Court procedures.
The bill authorizes the Tax Court to issue subpoenas compelling the production of documents and other items from a litigant or witness for evidentiary or discovery purposes (whether or not it is in connection with a scheduled hearing). (Under current law, the Tax Court may issue subpoenas only to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of evidence at a scheduled hearing or deposition.)
The bill authorizes the Tax Court to extend (or toll) the deadline to file a Tax Court petition contesting an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) deficiency notice if it is equitable to do so (known as equitable tolling). Further, under the bill, the dismissal of a petition contesting an IRS deficiency notice because the petition is not filed before the deadline and equitable tolling is denied is not treated as a decision of the Tax Court. This allows a subsequent claim to be filed in U.S. district court if certain conditions are met.
The bill also
- expands the type of Tax Court proceedings for which special trial judges may be appointed,
- authorizes Tax Court special trial judges to impose fines up to $5,000 and up to 30 days in jail for contempt of court, and
- requires Tax Court judges and special trial judges to recuse themselves in certain circumstances.
Text of the bill
I Tax Administration and Customer Service
II American Citizens Abroad
III Judicial Review
IV Office of the Taxpayer Advocate
V Tax Return Preparers
VI Appeals
VII Whistleblowers
Where this section came from
Not in the first version (Introduced in House, Sep 15).
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Sep 30, 2026 · Engrossed Amendment Senate S.Amdt. 6848: To amend the title. Official page › S.Amdt. 6847: In the nature of a substitute. Official page ›
(a) In general. Section 7623(b) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(7) Interest
(A) In general. If the Secretary has not provided notice to an individual described in paragraph (1) of a preliminary award recommendation before the applicable date, the amount of any award under this subsection shall include interest from such date at the overpayment rate under section 6621(a).
(B) Exception. No interest shall accrue under this paragraph after the date on which the Secretary provides notice to the individual of a preliminary award recommendation.
(C) Applicable date. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable date is the date that is 12 months after the first date on which—
(i) all of the proceeds resulting from actions subject to the award recommendation have been collected, and
(ii) either—
(I) the statutory period for filing a claim or suit for refund has expired, or
(II) the taxpayers subject to the actions and the Secretary have agreed with finality to the tax or other liabilities for the periods at issue, and either the taxpayers have waived the right to file a claim or suit for refund or any claim or suit for refund has been resolved.
(b) Effective date
(1) In general. The amendments made by this section shall take effect 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Special rule. If, as of the date described in paragraph (1)— the applicable date for purposes of such paragraph (7)(C) is the date that is 12 months after the date described in paragraph (1).
(A) the Secretary has not provided notice to the individual of a preliminary award recommendation as described in paragraph (7)(A) of section 7623(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as added by this Act, and
(B) the applicable date provided in paragraph (7)(C) of such section, as so added, has passed,
VIII Hostages
IX Small Businesses
X Miscellaneous