Hatch report finds ‘troubling’ IRS spending on long-term travel

More than two dozen IRS employees traveled for more than half of fiscal 2015, incurring total costs of more than $1.4 million, according to a report from the staff of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

There were 27 IRS employees who traveled for 125 business days or more. The trips had an average length of 207 days and an average cost of $52,800, the report found.

"The number of employees who travel more than half of the year and the cost at which they do so is simply unacceptable," the Finance Committee staff said in the report. The staff said many of the findings of their review were "troubling."

The committee staff took a closer look at 15 of the cases. They found that the lodging these employees chose "often appeared to be excessive and inappropriate" and six of the employees had laundry and dry cleaning expenses of more than $500. 

"Luxury apartments, black car service, and unnecessary Amtrak Acela rides cannot continue," the staff said in the report.