Identify and Recover Sent E-Mails Act

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 25, 2014

Identify and Recover Sent E-Mails Act - Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to: (1) pay a cash award of $1 million to any individual or group who retrieves and submits to Congress the electronic communications sent by Lois Lerner during her employment with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and (2) pay a cash award of $500,000 to any individual or group who provides pertinent information sufficient for the prosecution of individuals involved in any illegal activities with respect to the destruction of the electronic communications sent by Lois Lerner during her employment with IRS. Directs payment of such awards from the IRS Taxpayer Services Account.

Limits the amount of funds that may be obligated for IRS employee salaries in 2014 until the electronic communications sent by Lois Lerner have been recovered and submitted to Congress.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17] · R–TX

Committees

Ways and Means Committee

2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Jun 25, 2014
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Jun 25, 2014
Introduced in House
Jun 25, 2014
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Jun 25, 2014 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Analyze H.R.4958 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss H.R.4958, 113th Congress: Identify and Recover Sent E-Mails Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4958

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2014-06-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr4958/BILLS-113hr4958ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:36:17Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.4958 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.4958 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss H.R.4958, 113th Congress: Identify and Recover Sent E-Mails Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4958

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2014-06-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr4958/BILLS-113hr4958ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:36:17Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4958 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.4958 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Discuss H.R.4958, 113th Congress: Identify and Recover Sent E-Mails Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4958

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2014-06-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr4958/BILLS-113hr4958ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:36:17Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4958 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Examine H.R.4958 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4958, 113th Congress: Identify and Recover Sent E-Mails Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4958

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2014-06-25.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr4958/BILLS-113hr4958ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-12T18:36:17Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4958 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.