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Trump Transition: Ex-Congressman Billy Long Nominated to Lead IRS Amid Controversy Over Pandemic Tax Credit

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

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Former Missouri Congressman Billy Long has been chosen by Trump to lead the Internal Revenue Service. Long, who served six terms in Congress, has been assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic that has experienced widespread fraud and has ended up costing the government billions more than expected.

Written by Andrew Duehren

Updating from the nation

Donald J. Trump, who will soon be inaugurated as the President, announced that he plans to appoint Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, as the new head of the Internal Revenue Service. This decision indicates his intention to remove the current IRS leader, who was appointed by President Biden.

Following his defeat in a Senate primary in 2022, Mr. Long has been promoting a tax credit introduced during the pandemic, which has been plagued by fraudulent claims and has ended up costing the government much more than anticipated. In response to the widespread fraud, lawmakers have attempted to discontinue the tax credit program, and the IRS has halted the processing of claims temporarily to investigate and eliminate false applications.

During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about how he and his team have successfully helped businesses take advantage of the Employee Retention Tax Credit without facing any denials from the tax agency. This credit was established by Congress and former President Trump in 2020 as a way to encourage businesses to continue paying their employees during the economic shutdown.

He assured that they don’t allow anyone to cheat the system, and instead, they ensure that individuals truly qualify for the refund from the IRS along with interest.

President Trump made a new selection for a position within the I.R.S., which was announced on his social media platform. This decision would bring significant changes to the agency during a crucial time. The current administration has invested heavily in updating the I.R.S. and enhancing its ability to collect taxes in order to provide better service to taxpayers and combat tax evasion.

President Biden selected Daniel Werfel in 2022 to head the restructuring of the IRS. Werfel, with experience in management consulting and government work across party lines, was appointed to serve until 2027.

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