U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Jamie Raskin and Gwen Moore led 107 House members in sending a bipartisan letter to the Internal Revenue Service urging the agency to issue missing economic impact payments to survivors of domestic violence. Nearly every state has reported increases in domestic violence cases since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and caseworkers and advocates of domestic violence survivors across the country have documented cases of abusive partners stealing or withholding EIPs from survivors. The IRS has decided to issue catch-up EIPs to individuals who did not receive their payments, and the members are calling on the agency to provide this same relief to survivors of domestic violence.
Nearly all victims of domestic violence experience economic abuse, and a lack of financial independence is cited as the most common reason for remaining in an abusive relationship. EIPs could empower survivors to leave their abusive partners and support a fresh start. The IRS has a responsibility to ensure all qualifying individuals receive these essential payments.
“With people across our nation complying with stay-at-home orders, law enforcement has unfortunately seen an increase in the number of domestic violence calls they are receiving,” Fitzpatrick said. “We must do everything we can to support victims in their time of need, and our bipartisan request to the IRS will hopefully deliver the economic support that they deserve. I am proud to join my colleagues in urging the agency to issue missing economic impact payments to survivors of domestic violence, and I look forward to continuing our bipartisan work.”
The letter is supported by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, National Network to End Domestic Violence and the Community Tax Law Project.
