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

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

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Former Congressman Billy Long, who previously represented Missouri for six terms, has been chosen by Trump to lead the IRS. Following his time in office, Long has been assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic, which has been plagued with fraud and has ended up costing the government much more than expected.

Written by Andrew Duehren

Writing from the nation

President-elect Donald J. Trump announced on Wednesday his intention to nominate Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, to be in charge of the Internal Revenue Service. This decision also means that Trump plans to remove the current IRS leader, who was appointed by President Biden.

Following his loss in a Senate primary in 2022, Mr. Long promoted a tax credit introduced during the pandemic that has been heavily targeted by fraudulent claims, resulting in billions of extra costs for the government. To address this issue, lawmakers have attempted to eliminate the tax credit and the IRS has paused processing claims to identify and eliminate false applications.

During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about his efforts in assisting businesses in claiming the Employee Retention Tax Credit. He mentioned that he and his team have not had any of their claims denied by 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.

"We do not sneak anyone through," he explained. "We ensure that they are eligible for this refund from the IRS, along with any interest owed."

Donald Trump has made a new selection for a key position in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which was announced on his social media platform. This decision would bring significant change to the IRS during a crucial time. The current administration, led by Joe Biden, has invested a substantial amount of money into updating the agency and strengthening its tax collection activities. This investment aims to enhance customer service and combat tax evasion more effectively.

President Biden selected Daniel Werfel in 2022 to head the restructuring of the I.R.S. Werfel, a previous management consultant and government official with experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations, was appointed to serve until 2027.

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