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Former Missouri congressman Billy Long has been chosen by Trump to lead the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Long, who served six terms in the House of Representatives, has been assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit meant for the pandemic, which has been plagued with fraud and has resulted in the government losing billions more than expected.
Written by Andrew Duehren
Writing from the nation
On Wednesday, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced his intention to nominate Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, to be in charge of the Internal Revenue Service. This decision implies that he plans to remove the current leader of the IRS, who was appointed by President Biden.
Following his defeat in a Senate primary in 2022, Mr. Long promoted a tax credit introduced during the pandemic, which has been plagued by fraud and ended up costing the government billions more than anticipated. In response, lawmakers have attempted to eliminate the tax credit, while the I.R.S. has taken steps such as temporarily halting the processing of claims to identify and reject fraudulent applications.
During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about how he and his team have successfully helped businesses receive the Employee Retention Tax Credit without any rejections from the tax agency. This program, established by Congress and Mr. Trump in 2020, aims to encourage businesses to continue paying their employees during times of economic hardship.
He stated that they do not sneak anyone through, but rather make sure that they qualify for the refund from the IRS with interest.
President Trump’s selection, revealed on his social media platform, has the potential to significantly impact the I.R.S. during a crucial time. The Biden administration has invested substantial amounts of money into updating the agency and strengthening its tax enforcement activities with the goal of enhancing customer service and combatting tax evasion.
President Biden selected Daniel Werfel, a former consultant and government employee with experience in both Democrat and Republican governments, to head the restructuring of the I.R.S in 2022. Werfel’s term was scheduled to end in 2027.
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