The ranking Democrat and Republican on the Senate Finance Committee have urged the administration to step up collection of delinquent taxes from federal employees, arguing that the government’s own workers should be an example of compliance with tax laws. A letter to the White House said that some 450,000 federal workers and retirees owe some $3 billion in back taxes. Identifying information for government workers delinquent on tax filings cannot be disclosed by the IRS, due to federal privacy rules, the committee said. However, the letter asked President Bush “to instruct heads of executive departments and agencies to remind federal employees and retirees of their tax obligations and to warn them of the consequences for failing to comply with our nation’s tax laws.”