IRS Staffing Trends

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) staffing trends from fiscal year (FY) 1981 to FY 1996. GAO noted that: (1) IRS staff increased from 1986 to 1995, but is expected to decrease in 1996; and (2) actual IRS staffing levels were greater than budgeted, since other federal agencies funded additional IRS staff from their own appropriations to perform work for them.