Disarming Americans? That’s been a sore spot for years—and rightfully so. The idea that the average, law-abiding American doesn’t need a firearm while criminals run wild and the government stockpiles ammo like it’s prepping for Red Dawn is laughable at best, dangerous at worst.
But this time, the disarmament conversation isn’t aimed at We the People. It’s aimed at one of the most bloated, bureaucratic, and increasingly militarized arms of the federal government—the Internal Revenue Service. Yeah, that IRS. The same people who’ll garnish your paycheck for a typo on Line 23b are apparently gearing up like they’re deploying to Fallujah.
Enter Congressman Barry Moore of Alabama, who introduced a bill that, frankly, should’ve been filed years ago. It’s called the “Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act.” Straight to the point. No fluff, no clever acronyms. Just a solid question every American should be asking: Why is the IRS armed to the teeth?The IRS: Armed, Dangerous, and Way Out of Pocket
Let’s rewind a bit. During the COVID era, while most of us were stuck at home trying to figure out how to stay afloat, the IRS went on a hiring spree. We’re talking 87,000 new agents. Now, unless tax fraud suddenly turned into a contact sport, I’m not sure why they needed a small army. But it didn’t stop at bodies—they stocked up on weapons, gear, and ammo too.
According to Open the Books, the IRS has spent $35.2 million on guns, ammo, and military-style equipment since 2006. And between 2020 and 2021 alone, they dropped $10 million arming special agents. You know, the same ones who now have arrest powers. Not audit powers—arrest powers.
Here’s just a taste of their shopping list:
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Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Rifles: $474,000
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Beretta 1301 Tactical Shotguns: $463,000
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Body Armor: $243,000
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Ballistic Riot Shields: $1.2 million
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Ammunition: $2.3 million
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“Various Other Gear”: $1.3 million for who-knows-what
This isn’t surplus. This is a full-blown federal arsenal. And here’s the kicker: this isn’t even all of it.
Before 2020, the IRS had already stockpiled over 5 million rounds of ammunition and 4,500 firearms—including 621 shotguns, 539 semi-auto rifles, and 15 submachine guns.
So again, I’ll ask: for what?Moore’s Bill: Defund the Arsenal
Congressman Moore’s legislation isn’t just symbolic. The “Why Does the IRS Need Guns Act” aims to completely disarm the agency. It would force the IRS to hand over its firearms and ammunition to the General Services Administration (GSA), which would then auction off the guns to Federal Firearms License holders and sell the ammo to the general public. Yes, we the people would finally get something back—ammo, ironically paid for with our tax dollars.
And it doesn’t stop there. The bill would block the IRS from spending any more money on guns, ammo, or tactical gear. That’s right—no more raid-ready agents knocking on doors over a missed W-2.
Moore said it best: “The only thing IRS agents should be armed with are calculators.”
Hard to argue with that.
What About the Criminal Investigation Division?
Now, some folks will say, “But what about IRS criminal investigators? Don’t they go after real bad guys—fraudsters, terrorists, money launderers?” Sure. That’s valid. But that’s why Moore’s bill transfers all of those duties to the Department of Justice. Because if someone’s laundering cartel money, maybe we leave that to the folks with actual law enforcement mandates—not pencil-pushers with Glock sidearms and spreadsheets.
Let’s be real: If an agency exists solely to collect money, it doesn’t need to be armed like it’s patrolling Kandahar. Let the DOJ handle the heavy stuff. The IRS should stick to the numbers.
Co-Sponsors and Support
Moore’s not alone here. His bill is backed by Representatives Harriet Hageman (WY), Mary Miller (IL), and Clay Higgins (LA). All of them recognize what’s at stake—government overreach disguised as “enforcement.”
Hageman summed it up perfectly: “It is a shocking fact that the Biden administration spent over $10 million on firearms and ammunition for IRS employees… This bill ensures the agency sticks to its mission of collecting revenue rather than moonlighting as a paramilitary law enforcement agency.”
Exactly.
Will It Pass?
Now, let’s not kid ourselves. Getting this thing to the House floor is one thing. Getting it through the Senate—especially under current conditions—that’s a climb. It’ll need a supermajority. And unless common sense and fiscal responsibility suddenly become contagious in the upper chamber, this may take more than one round.
But even the bill’s reintroduction sends a message: Americans are paying attention. We’re done watching unelected bureaucrats stockpile weapons while telling us we don’t need them for our own defense.
Final Thoughts: The Hypocrisy Is Blinding
This administration—and many before it—has spent decades telling us we don’t need guns. That we should rely on the government for protection. That the Second Amendment is outdated. That private gun ownership is dangerous.
And yet, behind the curtain, they’ve quietly armed agencies that have no business carrying tactical shotguns and ballistic shields. The same government that says we don’t need high-capacity magazines seems pretty comfortable stockpiling millions of rounds for itself.
It’s not about safety. It’s about control.
So yeah, maybe it’s time we start asking the uncomfortable questions. Why does the IRS need guns? Why does a tax agency need riot shields? And why, in the name of liberty, are we the ones being disarmed while the bureaucrats build their own standing army?
Congressman Moore has the right idea. Disarm the tax collectors.
Let them do their jobs with pens and paper—not rifles and body armor.
