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Trump Transition: Former 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 IRS. Long, who served six terms in Congress, has been involved in assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic. This tax credit has been plagued with fraud and has ended up costing the government billions more than originally expected.

Written by Andrew Duehren

Writing from the nation

Donald J. Trump, who is set to become the next President, announced his intention to nominate Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, as the new head of the Internal Revenue Service. This means that he plans to remove the current 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 plagued by fraudulent activity, leading to significantly higher costs for the government than initially projected. Lawmakers have attempted to end the tax credit, with the I.R.S. even temporarily halting the processing of claims to identify and eliminate false applications for the tax break.

During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about his efforts to assist businesses in accessing the Employee Retention Tax Credit. He mentioned that he and his team have not had any of their claims denied by the tax agency. The 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 downturn.

He stated that they do not sneak anyone through, but rather ensure that they genuinely qualify for the refund from the I.R.S. with interest.

Donald Trump made a new selection for a position within the IRS, which was announced on his social media platform. This decision will have a significant impact on the IRS during a crucial time. The Biden administration has invested a substantial amount of money into updating the agency and strengthening its enforcement of tax collection to enhance customer service and combat tax evasion.

President Biden selected Daniel Werfel in 2022 to head the reform of the I.R.S. Werfel, a former management consultant and civil servant with experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations, was appointed to serve until 2027.

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