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(NEW YORK) — Human-made chemicals known as PFAS are back in the spotlight after the feminine hygiene company Thinx settled a class-action lawsuit earlier this month for millions of dollars.

The lawsuit was brought against Thinx by customers who claimed testing showed the brand’s period underwear — advertised by the company as sustainable, organic and reusable — contained PFAS, otherwise known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or forever chemicals.

PFAS are manufactured chemicals that have been used in products like nonstick cookware, cosmetics and water-repellent clothing for decades, but have more recently been discovered to cause adverse health effects in some instances, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the United States, manufacturers aren’t required to identify PFAS on labels.

Thinx settled with the five plaintiffs late last year for up to $5 million, but a recently-launched website has reignited interest in the case and restarted the conversation on what consumers need to know about PFAS.

The website, Thinxunderwearsettlement.com, shares details on who is eligible to file a claim to be able to receive part of the settlement money.

Here is what to know about the Thinx settlement and the allegations over PFAS.

What led to the lawsuit against Thinx?

An article published in 2020 by Sierra magazine first brought attention to the ingredients in Thinx products.

The article’s author, Jessian Choy, had Thinx menstrual underwear and a similar product from another brand tested by Dr. Graham Peaslee, a physics professor at the University of Notre Dame, whose research focuses on PFAS.

Peaslee found the presence of PFAS in the Thinx products at “high levels,” “especially on the inside layers of the crotch,” according to Choy’s article.

Following the article’s publication, several lawsuits were filed against Thinx, and eventually those cases were merged into the one class-action lawsuit against the company that was settled last year.

“The presence of these chemicals contradicts all of Thinx’s unvarying representations that the product is nontoxic, harmless, sustainable, organic, environmentally friendly, and otherwise safe for women and the environment,” the plaintiffs alleged in the lawsuit, also claiming the company “knowingly and willfully concealed and misrepresented the true nature of Thinx Underwear.”

Erin J. Ruben, an attorney for the plaintiffs, told ABC News that the lawsuit focused on how Thinx marketed its products. She said the settlement in the case is “about more than just refunds.”

“Thinx has agreed to make changes to its marketing, in addition to taking other measures to ensure that PFAS is not intentionally added to the product, which we believe will have lasting impact on consumers,” Ruben said in a statement. “I also think it’s important that consumers understand that this case was about how Thinx’s products were marketed — not whether they caused harm to consumers.”

What is Thinx’s response to the lawsuit?

The lawsuit settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing by Thinx Inc., which includes the brands Thinx, Thinx Teens and Speax.

The company denies the allegations in the lawsuit, and denies it did “anything improper or unlawful,” according to the settlement.

“Consumer health and product safety are top priorities for Thinx, and we stand by the quality, efficacy and safety of our products,” a company spokesperson told ABC News in a statement. “The lawsuit is related to how products were marketed and not on product safety or any adverse health effects. PFAS has never been part of the brand’s product design and we continue to take measures to help ensure these substances are not added to our products.”

The statement continued, “While the settlement included no admission of wrongdoing by Thinx, we have chosen to resolve this matter so that we can focus our attention on doing what the brand does best — bringing innovative, safe and comfortable leak protection underwear to our consumers.”

How common are PFAS in products?

PFAS began to be used in manufacturing in the 1950s, and for decades showed up in products ranging from shampoo and dental floss to cosmetics, fast food wrappers, pizza boxes, water-resistant clothing, umbrellas and in cleaning products like stain removers, according to the CDC.

It has only been in the last 20 years that further research has shown the dangers of PFAS, according to Peaslee, the Notre Dame professor who tested the Thinx products.

Because of their ability to last forever and because of their past widespread use, PFAS are still present all around, Peaslee explained.

“These things are so inert that they last for thousands of years, and they break down to the simplest products, which are all the fluorinated compounds,” Peaslee told ABC News. “And these will actually get into your body and they start piling up, so everybody in North America already has millions of these chemicals in their blood.”

In addition to absorbing the chemicals from products, people can also be exposed to PFAS through environmental factors like drinking water, accidentally ingesting soil or dust and eating exposed animal proteins, according to the CDC.

PFAS are not banned at the federal level in the U.S., but some states have taken action to restrict the use of PFAS.

How harmful are PFAS to a person’s health?

Research shows that exposure to high levels of PFAS can lead to adverse health effects, but it is not yet known exactly what the level of exposure is that leads to different health outcomes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

So far, research has shown that “exposure to certain levels of PFAS” may lead to everything from developmental delays in children and increased risk of some cancers to increased risk of obesity and high cholesterol, according to the EPA.

In women, exposure to PFAS may lead to difficulty getting pregnant, hormone issues and increased high blood pressure when pregnant, according to the EPA.

Peaslee noted that wearing a period product that contains PFAS is not going to harm a person in the short-term, but it may contribute to a bigger issue.

He said the risk of PFAS exposure is higher in certain areas of the body, including the groin, neck and underarms.

“No, they’re not going to die from their period underwear by wearing them today, but they will increase their risk of exposure to these chemicals,” he said. “And these chemicals you don’t really want in your body, and they’re already there.”

Peaslee continued, “For most people, especially those with children or of childbearing age, you’d like to not be exposed to an extra chemical, and this is one that we can avoid.”

How can PFAS be avoided?

Since companies do not have to list the presence of PFAS on labels, Peaslee suggests keeping an eye out on products that have an extra label showing they are PFA-free.

“When you get a label that says ‘no intentional PFAS added,’ that company has done some diligence,” he said. “They’re putting an extra 5-cent label on it to say, you know, ‘We checked.'”

Peaslee said consumers can also watch for products marketed with words like “water-resistant” and “long-lasting,” as those are two qualities that PFAS are used to help produce.

“You can look at those as indicators that you might have a problem,” he said. “But you don’t know for sure until somebody does a test or until a product deems itself and has been tested to be PFA-free, and that means the company has done some tests.”

The EPA says to be aware of the water and food you consume and ensure they do not come from contaminated sources.

While individuals do not need to be tested for PFAS exposure, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends undergoing regular routine health screenings and following a physician’s guidance.

What do I do if I own Thinx underwear?

The settlement applies to people who purchased certain types of Thinx underwear in the U.S. between Nov. 12, 2016, and Nov. 28, 2022, according to the settlement website.

People who submit a claim have options ranging from receiving a cash refund up to $21 to a voucher for 35% off future purchases.

People also have the option to exclude themselves from the settlement, which would then make them free to file their own lawsuit should they desire.

ABC News’ Kelly McCarthy and Jacqueline Laurean Yates contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. economy grew robustly at the end of last year, defying recession fears and weathering an aggressive series of interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve, government data showed.

U.S. gross domestic product grew by a 2.9% annualized rate over the three months ending in December, according to data released Thursday. It marked a slowdown from 3.2% growth in the previous quarter.

The economy expanded despite interest rate hikes imposed last year by the Federal Reserve that aim to slow price increases by cooling the economy and choking off demand.

The approach, however, risks tipping the U.S. into a recession and putting millions out of work.

The gross domestic product data arrives days before the Federal Reserve decides whether to impose another interest rate hike, its first opportunity to do so this year. Last month, the Fed raised its short-term borrowing rate 0.5%, slowing the pace from previous rate hikes.

Economic activity shrank a combined 2.2% over the first six months of last year, marking two consecutive quarters of negative GDP, which many consider shorthand for identifying a downturn as a recession.

The National Bureau of Economic Research, a research organization seen as the formal authority for identifying recessions, uses a more complicated definition that takes into account an array of factors. It did not declare a recession last year.

The labor market has proven resilient. Hiring remained strong last month as employers added 233,000 jobs and wages grew a robust 4.6% compared to a year earlier.

Meanwhile, inflation has softened. Consumer prices rose 6.5% last month compared to a year ago, extending a months-long slowdown of price hikes after reaching a 40-year high in June.

Still, most economists expect a recession later this year, as interest rate hikes weigh on the economy, according to a survey released by Bloomberg last week. Forecasters expect gross domestic product to fall over the second and third quarters of this year, the survey found.

Despite the robust job market, growing evidence suggests the Fed’s rate hikes have put the brakes on some economic activity.

Home sales fell for the 11th consecutive month in November, reaching their lowest rate since November 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors.

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(WASHINGTON) — Investors, business leaders and everyday Americans will be keeping a close watch on the release of gross domestic product data on Thursday, as inflation eases but recession fears still loom.

The data for the final three months of 2022 will show whether the economy continued to expand or reverted back to the contraction experienced over the first half of last year.

Forecasters expect that the U.S. economy will have grown by a 2.8% annualized rate. If the report is in line with expectations, it would mark a slowdown from 3.2% growth in the previous quarter but would show that the economy averted a downturn.

The data will reveal how the economy fared amid an aggressive series of interest rate hikes imposed last year by the Federal Reserve.

The rate hikes aim to slow price increases by cooling the economy and choking off demand. The approach, however, risks tipping the U.S. into a recession and putting millions out of work.

The gross domestic product data arrives days before the Federal Reserve decides whether to impose another interest rate hike, its first opportunity to do so this year. Last month, the Fed raised its short-term borrowing rate 0.5%, slowing the pace from previous rate hikes.

Economic activity shrank a combined 2.2% over the first six months of last year, marking two consecutive quarters of negative GDP, which many consider shorthand for identifying a downturn as a recession.

The National Bureau of Economic Research, a research organization seen as the formal authority for identifying recessions, uses a more complicated definition that takes into account an array of factors. It did not declare a recession last year.

The labor market has proven resilient. Hiring remained strong last month as employers added 233,000 jobs and wages grew a robust 4.6% compared to a year earlier.

Meanwhile, inflation has softened. Consumer prices rose 6.5% last month compared to a year ago, extending a months-long slowdown of price hikes after reaching a 40-year high in June.

Still, most economists expect a recession later this year, as interest rate hikes weigh on the economy, according to a survey released by Bloomberg last week. Forecasters expect gross domestic product to fall over the second and third quarters of this year, the survey found.

Despite the robust job market, growing evidence suggests the Fed’s rate hikes have put the brakes on some economic activity.

Home sales fell for the 11th consecutive month in November, reaching their lowest rate since November 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors.

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(NEW YORK) — Barbie is honoring the life and legacy of Bessie Coleman with a new doll.

Coleman, whose birthday falls on Jan. 26, was the first Black and Native American female aviator and the first Black person to ever earn an international pilot’s license.

The late American pioneer is being honored as part of the toymaker’s Inspiring Women line of dolls for inspiring generations of women and people of color to explore a career in aviation.

Barbie teamed up with Coleman’s great niece Gigi Coleman, the president of The Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars, to ensure the aviator’s legacy was represented in its truest form.

The doll wears a brown hat emblazoned with her historic initials — “BC” — an olive green belted aviator suit and lace-up boots, much like Coleman wore.

“As someone who has dedicated much of my life to encouraging youth of all backgrounds to explore careers in aviation, my family and I commend Barbie for expanding my great aunt’s legacy in such an overwhelming tribute, with a Bessie Coleman Inspiring Women doll,” Gigi Coleman said in a statement. “Keeping Bessie’s legacy alive has always been a labor of love for my family, and we are proud to recognize her determination and accomplishments for Black women in aviation and continue to share my great aunt’s pioneering spirit with fans of all ages.”

She added, “We hope through this doll more people will discover Bessie’s story and be inspired. Stories have power, I grew up on anecdotes of my great-aunt’s courage and look forward to sharing them in my upcoming book.”

Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and global head of Barbie & Dolls at Mattel, also spoke highly of the company’s latest launch.

“Bessie is a remarkable icon to inspire children everywhere to soar to greater heights,” she said in a statement.

The Bessie Coleman Inspiring Women Doll is now available to shop at several mass retailers.

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(NEW YORK) — A viral controversy over the use of facial recognition technology to bar customers from New York City performance venues has drawn the attention of the state’s top cop.

New York Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday sent a letter to Madison Square Garden Entertainment — the company that owns venues like Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden – requesting information about the policy and raising the possibility that it could be illegal, James’ office said.

The letter also questions whether the facial technology is reliable and what safeguards are in place to avoid bias and discrimination, her office added.

The weekend after Thanksgiving, lawyer Kelly Conlon tried to join her daughter’s Girl Scout troop at a Rockettes performance but the venue scanned her face and barred her entrance.

Conlon reportedly appeared on an “attorney exclusion list” created by Radio City Music Hall’s parent company, MSG Entertainment, which bans employees at law firms engaged in litigation with the company, even if a given individual isn’t involved directly.

In this case, Conlon wasn’t involved directly, but her firm was engaged in litigation against one of the company’s restaurants, the New York Times reported. The incident at Radio City Music Hall was first reported by a New York affiliate of NBC.

In a separate incident at Madison Square Garden last month, another attorney was removed from a basketball game with the use of facial recognition software for the same reason as Conlon, the New York Post reported.

“MSG Entertainment cannot fight their legal battles in their own arenas,” James said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall are world-renowned venues and should treat all patrons who purchased tickets with fairness and respect,” she added. “Anyone with a ticket to an event should not be concerned that they may be wrongfully denied entry based on their appearance, and we’re urging MSG Entertainment to reverse this policy.”

MSG Entertainment did not respond to a request for comment on the letter from James.

In a statement to ABC News earlier this month, a spokesperson for MSG Entertainment defended the company’s use of facial recognition software.

“Facial recognition technology is a useful tool widely used throughout the country, including the sports and entertainment industry, retail locations, casinos and airports, to protect the safety of the people that visit and work at those locations,” the spokesperson said.

“Our venues are worldwide destinations and several sit on major transit hubs in the heart of New York,” the spokesperson added. “We have always made it clear to our guests and to the public that we use facial recognition as one of our tools to provide a safe and secure environment for our customers and ourselves.”

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(NEW YORK) — Credit card debt is often easy to pile on, but hard to pay off. For Lisa Samalonis, smart credit card saving was the key to rebuilding her life after divorce.

“It was very important for me to preserve some of that money so that I could put it down for a down payment and also to preserve through the divorce, to preserve my credit score so that I would be eligible for a mortgage,” Samalonis told ABC News’ Good Morning America.

The New Jersey mother said she had to adjust to living as a single mother of two on one income, so she decided to go on what she calls a “credit card fast.”

“Not using my credit card in the beginning was a key factor in that, because when you’re using cash or debit, you can see [that] you don’t have enough money,” she said. “It’s having the awareness to know that you’re actually spending more than you have.”

With the help of her new trick, Samalonis was able to buy her own home. She shared her top three steps to becoming financially free.

Break down your finances

Samalonis said she bought a notebook to write down her expenses, prioritizing what was most important.

“The ones that were most important at the top, like food and my mortgage or housing. And then down the list of things that were less important,” she said, adding that she was able to grant her own freedom by being honest with herself.

“By kind of breaking it down, and really being honest or getting real with myself, that actually gave me control as I went forward,” she said.

Use zero-based budgeting

Samalonis said if you must use a credit card, be sure to continue to allocate your expenses so your budget remains accurate.

“When you use your credit card, you take money that you have in your account and you put it into a category or you allocate it to what you’ve just spent,” she said.

Plan ahead

Finally, Samalonis said the best way to be prepared for the “credit card fast” is to plan ahead. Unexpected expenses will always come up, but you can plan a savings cushion to help cover some of those surprises.

“When unexpected expenses came up, either if it was things that were owed or if it was things that we wanted to do, I tried to plan ahead and so I would be able to save money each month towards that goal,” Samalonis said.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department and eight other states filed a historic antitrust lawsuit Tuesday targeting Google over what they allege is the Big Tech giant’s monopoly over the online advertising market.

The lawsuit, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, aims to have Google’s dominance in the online ad marketplace broken up by having a court compel the company to divest its Google Ad Manager suite. They also seek an order from the court enjoining Google from further engaging in any of the anticompetitive practices outlined in their lawsuit.

“Having inserted itself into all aspects of the digital advertising marketplace, Google has used anticompetitive, exclusionary, and unlawful means to eliminate or severely diminish any threat to its dominance over digital advertising technologies,” according to the lawsuit. “The United States and Plaintiff States bring this action for violations of the Sherman Act to halt Google’s anticompetitive scheme, unwind Google’s monopolistic grip on the market, and restore competition to digital advertising.”

DOJ is joined in the lawsuit by California, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Virginia.

“Competition in the ad tech space is broken, for reasons that were neither accidental nor inevitable,” the DOJ wrote in the lawsuit. “One industry behemoth, Google, has corrupted legitimate competition in the ad tech industry by engaging in a systematic campaign to seize control of the wide swath of high-tech tools used by publishers, advertisers, and brokers, to facilitate digital advertising.”

Google is set to take in more than 26% of all digital advertising revenue this year, according to an analysis from data firm Insider Intelligence. In total, tech giants Google, Amazon and Facebook-parent Meta will take in about 64% of the $200 billion in digital ad revenue generated this year, the study found.

Google rebuked the lawsuit’s claims in a statement to ABC News.

“Today’s lawsuit from the DOJ attempts to pick winners and losers in the highly competitive advertising technology sector. It largely duplicates an unfounded lawsuit by the Texas Attorney General, much of which was recently dismissed by a federal court,” a spokesperson said.

“DOJ is doubling down on a flawed argument that would slow innovation, raise advertising fees, and make it harder for thousands of small businesses and publishers to grow,” the spokesperson added.

Google exploits a conflict of interest, the lawsuit alleges, since the company controls the technology used to both offer and purchase advertising space, as well as the largest ad exchange on which marketers are matched with publishers.

Further, the lawsuit accuses Google of using its market power to punish companies that purchase digital ads elsewhere and charge heightened fees for clients that buy ads on its platforms.

In turn, such “anticompetitive behavior” has forced potential competitors out of the digital advertising business and sidelined businesses that remain, the lawsuit said.

“Google has thwarted meaningful competition and deterred innovation in the digital advertising industry,” the lawsuit said.

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(WASHINGTON) — It was a Ticketmaster meltdown that sent millions of Taylor Swift fans spiraling: lockouts, delays, hours of confusion and soaring aftermarket prices amid reports of scalpers.

During the November presale for Swift’s upcoming “Eras” tour, Ticketmaster was forced to halt purchases for her shows, citing “extraordinarily high demands” and “insufficient remaining ticket inventory,” drawing outcry from Swifties — and the artist herself.

At the time, Ticketmaster said that “every ticket was sold to a buyer with a Verified Fan code.”

“While it’s impossible for everyone to get tickets to these shows, we know we can do more to improve the experience and that’s what we’re focused on,” the company said in November.

Now they will face lawmakers: On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing to examine “how consolidation in the live entertainment and ticketing industries harms customers and artists alike,” according to a statement — addressing the bad blood between Ticketmaster and musicians, fans and the industry.

Lawmakers will focus on Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s 2010 merger, which has given the company an outsized influence on the market — with critics highlighting how they can raise ticket prices, shut out smaller venues and smaller artists and sideline rival ticket companies. The merger drew particular scrutiny from some members of Congress in the wake of the Swift ticketing fiasco.

“If it’s Taylor Swift fans that move some of my colleagues on monopolies, great,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a member of the committee, told ABC News’ Rachel Scott ahead of Tuesday’s hearing.

“Some of the things that came out of the Taylor Swift concert were larger than life because it’s Taylor Swift. But many of the things were things we’ve been hearing for years [about ticketing issues], and it’s time to take this on. The fees are too high, and there’s not enough competition,” Klobuchar, D-Minn., said.

Top executives from the ticketing industry are set to testify, including the president and CFO from Live Nation, Joe Berchtold, and SeatGeek CFO Jack Groetzinger.

During Berchtold’s opening statement, which was obtained by ABC News, he will point the blame at ticket-scalping, arguing that “breaking the law using bots and cyberattacks to try to unfairly gain tickets contributes to an awful consumer experience.”

“There are problems in the ticketing industry — problems that we believe can and should be addressed through legislation. Many are the direct result of the industrial-scale ticket scalping that goes on today, which is a $5 billion dollar industry in concerts alone and is fueled by practices that run counter to the interests of artists and fans,” Berchtold plans to say.

Singer-songwriter Clyde Lawrence, from the band Lawrence, is also expected to testify with his bandmate Jordan Cohen. They say it’s the overwhelming control Live Nation has over the industry that leads to lopsided deals.

“Our place is to tell some of the experiences that we have from the unique perspective of artists that are really hands on … and just talk about some of the ways that we’ve run into road bumps about trying to get a fair deal for ourselves,” Lawrence told Rachel Scott.

The musicians said that, as one example, they receive no profit from the fees Ticketmaster adds onto tickets: “We have zero say in setting what they are and we have zero participation in any of that money,” Cohen said.

“We are looking to Live Nation, as the leader of the industry, to just give us a crumb, give us some breadcrumbs. I don’t know if the government needs to get involved. That’s, again, not our area of expertise,” Cohen said. “But we would just hope that the industry leaders make a little bit of change.”

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(NEW YORK) — After an exciting weekend of NFL divisional round playoff games, the stage is closer to being set for Super Bowl 57. But in addition to teams who came up short on Saturday and Sunday, another major name will be sidelined from this year’s big matchup.

M&M’s announced Monday that its iconic “spokescandies” will sit out of the brand’s advertisements this season to make way for their new spokesperson and “Chief of Fun,” Maya Rudolph.

A message from M&M’S. pic.twitter.com/EMucEBTd9o

— M&M’S (@mmschocolate) January 23, 2023

M&M’s partnered with the beloved actress and comedy icon for the newly created role, in which Rudolph will “use her comedic talents and captivating personality to help M&M’S build on its mission to create a world where everyone feels they belong,” a representative told ABC News’ Good Morning America.

Rudolph’s first appearance for the brand will be during the M&M’s Super Bowl campaign on Sunday, Feb. 12.

“With the new role, Maya will serve as M&M’S new spokesperson, while the colorful cast of original spokescandies will step away to pursue other passions,” the M&M’s rep added.

In addition to sharing a sneak peek look at her first appearance, the brand urged fans to check out the candy’s social media channels and tune in during and after Super Bowl 57 “to see what happens next.”

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(WASHINGTON) — The Treasury Department is rolling out new measures aimed at improving customer service as the IRS starts to accept 2022 federal income tax returns.

Treasury Department Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo told reporters on Friday that the agency has used funds from the Inflation Reduction Act to hire more customer service staff and modernize decades-old technology.

That includes 5,000 new customer service workers to answer calls, Adeyemo said. Just 13% of 173 million calls to the IRS were fielded by live agents last year and 8% of calls were answered with automated assistance.

A Treasury Department official said the new hires mean the IRS has a “historic number” of workers ready to answer the phones this tax season, with the goal of reducing average wait times from 30 minutes to 15 minutes.

These workers will be trained and in place by Presidents Day weekend in late February, Adeyemo told reporters. The IRS also beefed up staffing at taxpayer assistance centers across the country, with 700 new hires.

Adeyemo said “meaningful progress” has been made to update technology. The IRS will now let taxpayers respond to notices for document verification and other issues electronically rather than by mail.

The IRS will continue to move towars automating the scanning of millions of individual paper returns, as it currently inputs the information from paper returns manually one number at a time.

“These customer service improvements will have a positive impact on tax filers, ensure returns are processed more quickly and taxpayers are able to access credits and benefits they’re entitled to in a timely manner,” Adeyemo said.

The IRS began to accept federal returns on Monday, and individuals have until April 18 to file. Taxpayers who request an extension will have until Oct. 16.

The agency’s new resources come as congressional Republicans try to reclaim the money approved for the IRS in the Inflation Reduction Act — which was opposed by every GOP lawmaker in the House and Senate. The law allocates roughly $80 billion for the IRS over the next decade.

Earlier this month, House Republicans voted to strip the funding in the first piece of legislation the new majority brought to the floor. Many GOP lawmakers misleadingly claim the money will result in the hiring of 87,000 new agents to target middle- and lower-class families, though ​​IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said it will not increase audits of households making less than $400,000 per year.

The legislation has little chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate, and the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement that President Joe Biden would veto it if it came to his desk.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said a priority of the agency is to use the Inflation Reduction Act funding to clear the IRS backlog, as well as improve technology and hire more workers.

“Our work to improve services will continue throughout policies and the resources provided by the [Inflation Reduction Act] will continue to support a years-long transformation with the agency long after this filing season concludes,” Adeyemo said Friday.

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