Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer wants to know why Jefferson City's IRS office has been closed since Jan. 25 and will stay closed at least through next Friday.
But, as of Thursday afternoon, the congressman had not received an answer.
"With tax season in full swing, it is completely unacceptable the only IRS office in Mid-Missouri is closed," Luetkemeyer said in a news release, after sending a letter Wednesday to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.
"Many individuals in the 3rd District have started the process of gathering documents needed to file their taxes, but now there is no way to get answers to any questions they may have regarding complying with the Affordable Care Act or any other information they may need."
In his letter, the St. Elizabeth Republican reminded Koskinen that, with the Jefferson City office closed, "the closest IRS office is nearly 120 miles away, putting many of my constituents hours away from the assistance they need to properly fulfill their obligations under the U.S. Tax Code."
The congressman began looking into the issue after his Jefferson City office received complaints from people unable to "get through" to the IRS office on Truman Boulevard, Luetkemeyer's spokeswoman, Kristina Weger, said Thursday.
In his letter, Luetkemeyer told Koskinen that Congress's recent budget actions "provided an additional $290 million to the IRS for the express purpose of improving taxpayer services to ensure that the agency responds to taxpayer questions in a timely manner. ...
"The closure of the Jefferson City Office during tax season appears to flout the directions in the Appropriations Act and calls into question the commitment of the (IRS) to truly assist taxpayers."