Hours after Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa announced that his office had learned of $70 million of discretionary bonuses that the IRS was preparing to distribute, Montana's Senior Senator Max Baucus also chastised the agency.

“At a time when everyone is working hard to make ends meet, it’s concerning to see millions of dollars in bonuses going to an agency that has a lot of work to do to earn back the public trust,” Baucus said.

Baucus' statement confirms that the bonuses are known by more than just Grassley's office. As the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Baucus may have direct influence over whether or not the bonuses are distributed. A high level Baucus staff member says the issue will be on the agenda during Baucus' next meeting IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel.

The bonuses are surprising to many, because they are occurring even after sequestration cuts sapped funds from many federal programs ranging from National Parks and the military to local Meals on Wheels programs.

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