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John D. Scofield, the spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee, said that the purpose of the provision was to allow investigators for the top lawmakers responsible for financing the I.R.S. to have access to that agency's offices around the country and tax records so they could examine how the money was being spent.

There was never any desire to look at anyone's tax returns, he said. Mr. Scofield said

The question is not whether anyone had the desire. The question is, would the law give the committee chairmen and their aides such power. Such as Chairman Hillary and her staff.

the only purpose of the provision was to allow investigators to have access to revenue service offices.

He said tax returns in the prior paragraph but left it out here (or so says the reporter).

Maybe it was just an oversight, but these guys sure sound like kids in the principal's office explaining why they were smoking behind the gym.

OK, I understand the concerns her, but there is a problem they were trying to deal with.

What happens now if a oversight committee member wants to visit a IRS office?

Hell, the UPS driver can get in!

Does everything stop! Grind to a halt while they cover up or hide every tax return in every in basket, or do you allow certain member access to their oversight charge with clearances.

I might be off base, but I think this is what they were trying to address, and the language was used to make a Big F'n deal of it.

I figure some explanations will be offered to explain when cooler heads prevail.