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HR 6956 119th Congress House Taxation Computers and information technology Digital media Government information and archives Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

BARCODE Efficiency Act

Introduced: January 7, 2026 Introduced by: Schneider, Bradley Scott Democratic · Illinois See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 13 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 28, 2026
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Apr 27, 2026
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Apr 27, 2026
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3100)
Apr 27, 2026
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3100)
Apr 27, 2026
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6956.
Apr 27, 2026
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3100-3101)
Apr 27, 2026
Mr. Smith (MO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Feb 20, 2026
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 434.
Feb 20, 2026
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-508.
Jan 14, 2026
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 42 - 0.
Jan 14, 2026
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Jan 7, 2026
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Barcode Automation for Revenue Collection to Organize Disbursement and Enhance Efficiency Act or the BARCODE Efficiency Act

This bill requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to use barcodes, barcode scanning technology, and optical character recognition (or similar) technology to digitize certain federal tax return information and correspondence, unless the technology is slower or less reliable than other IRS processes (subject to conditions). 

Specifically, the bill requires a scannable barcode on electronically-prepared federal tax returns that are printed and filed in paper format with the IRS. The bill also requires the IRS to use barcode scanning technology to convert data included on such returns into an electronic format.

Further, the bill requires the IRS to use optical character recognition (or similar) technology to transcribe federal tax returns and correspondence received by the IRS that are not prepared electronically and are received in paper format.

However, under the bill, the use of barcodes, barcode scanning technology, and optical character recognition (or similar) technology is not required if (1) such technology is slower or less reliable than manual transcription or any other IRS process, and (2) the IRS provides a report to Congress regarding the determination to not use such technology.

What's happening now April 28, 2026

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1