Lawmaker says members' wages should be garnished if they owe back taxes

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) proposed a bill this week that would require all members of Congress to disclose any tax delinquency they might have.

The Members of Congress Tax Accountability Act, H.R. 884, would also require an ethics inquiry into a member's tax problems, and even garnish the wages of any member with such a delinquency. He introduced this bill with another providing more educational opportunities for veterans and said both are bills that the House should consider quickly.

"These bills deal with issues that must be taken seriously," he said. "Each bill is viable and commonsense legislation. I am hopeful that the freshness of a new Congress will give new life to these pieces of legislation as we continue moving forward."

It has been reported over the last few years that thousands of federal employees owe several billion dollars in back taxes. Last year, reports surfaced that three dozen aides to President Obama owed more than $800,000 in back taxes. And a few years back, Capitol Hill workers were thought to owe more than $9 million.