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St. Cloud Times - Bachmann opposes fraud bill

WASHINGTON - Freshman Rep. Michele Bachmann, a former federal tax lawyer, voted against a bill approved Tuesday by the House that would give taxpayers more protections from identity theft and tax fraud.

The measure passed 407 to 7, with Bachmann one of seven Republicans voting against it. Her office had no immediate comment.

The Senate must approve the measure, and the president has to sign it, before it becomes law.

The bill, passed during the week in which American tax returns must be filed, requires the Internal Revenue Service to notify taxpayers if it has evidence of identity theft.

Stolen identity information can be used to illegally collect tax refunds. Undocumented workers sometimes use stolen identity information to gain employment.

The bill also would require the IRS to notify low-income workers that they qualify for a tax break known as the Earned Income Tax Credit.