Finance Committee to hold hearing on IRS Commissioner nominee
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced that the committee will hold a nomination hearing on Tuesday, May 20, to consider former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) for Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service – a hearing that marks a significant step in a long-delayed confirmation process that has unfolded against a backdrop of frequent leadership changes at the IRS. (For prior coverage, see Tax News & Views, Vol. 25, No. 32, Dec. 6, 2024.)
During Congress’s recent two-week recess, the IRS underwent another leadership change, as Treasury Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender was appointed Acting Commissioner, replacing IRS official Gary Shapley – who held the role for only a few days – and became the fifth person to lead the agency this year. That change followed a string of short-term appointments: Shapley had succeeded Acting Commissioner Melanie Krause, who stepped down last month after taking over from Doug O’Donnell, who retired in February after nearly four decades of government service. O’Donnell had temporarily filled the role following the January 17 resignation of Senate-confirmed Commissioner Danny Werfel, clearing the way for President Trump’s nomination of Long. (For prior coverage, see Tax News & Views, Vol. 26, No. 15, May 2, 2025.)
Senate Democrats have expressed ongoing concerns about former-Rep. Long’s prior professional activities and what they consider to be potential conflicts of interest. Most recently, these concerns were outlined in a request from Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden of Oregon and Senate Finance Committee Member Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada who sought additional information about Long’s financial disclosures and professional associations, and raised questions about possible ethical considerations surrounding his nomination. Despite inquiries from Senate Democrats though, former Rep. Long’s nomination could advance – assuming Senate Republican taxwriters remain unified in their support.
While awaiting confirmation, Long has served as a senior advisor at the Office of Personnel Management, and the upcoming hearing marks a notable step forward in a process that had seen little movement in recent months.
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