EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is from a letter sent by U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, and his colleagues to U.S. Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen calling on her to abandon these efforts by the Internal Revenue Service to monitor bank accounts. Johnson cosponsored the Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act, which would prevent the IRS from surveilling bank accounts.

“Joe Biden’s plan to spy on the bank accounts of hardworking Americans is disturbing and wrong…it’s an invasion of the American people’s privacy.

This proposal requiring banks to report to the IRS transactions over $600 is the epitome of big government overreach and is further evidence of Joe Biden’s war on the middle class.

Instead of working to lower energy prices and stop out-of-control inflation that’s hurting all Americans at the gas pump and the grocery store, Joe Biden would rather empower unelected bureaucrats to spy on Americans’ bank accounts. This is shameful. Rest assured, I will continue my efforts to stop this dangerous attempt at government overreach.”

— Bill Johnson is a Republican U.S. representative whose district covers Lawrence County