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Former Congressman Billy Long, who represented Missouri for six terms, has been chosen by Trump to lead the IRS. After his time in Congress, Long has been assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic, which has seen a lot of fraud and ended up costing the government billions more than expected.
Written by Andrew Duehren
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President-elect Donald J. Trump announced on Wednesday his intention to appoint Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, as the new head of the Internal Revenue Service. This decision implies that he plans to dismiss the current leader of the tax agency, who was appointed by President Biden.
Following his defeat in a Senate primary in 2022, Mr. Long has promoted a tax credit created during the pandemic that has been plagued by fraudulent claims, resulting in the government spending billions more than anticipated. In response, legislators have attempted to eliminate the tax credit, and the I.R.S. has temporarily halted the processing of claims to identify and eliminate false applications.
During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about his efforts to assist businesses in applying for the Employee Retention Tax Credit. He mentioned that he and his team had not encountered any rejections from the tax agency for these claims. The program was established by Congress and former President Trump in 2020 as a way to encourage businesses to continue paying their employees during the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
He stated that they do not allow anyone to cheat the system and ensure that only those who are eligible receive a refund from the IRS with interest.
President Trump made a new selection for a key position in the IRS, which was revealed on his social media platform. This decision would bring significant changes to the agency at a crucial time. The Biden administration has invested large sums of money into updating the IRS and strengthening its tax collection activities to enhance customer satisfaction and combat tax evasion.
During 2022, President Biden appointed Daniel Werfel, a former management consultant and civil servant with experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations, to spearhead the revamping of the I.R.S. Werfel’s term was expected to continue until 2027.
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