Newly elected President Donald Trump on Wednesday Said He wants former Congressman Billy Long, a Republican from Missouri and former auctioneer, to run the IRS. As an MLA, Long co-sponsored legislation The purpose of which was to abolish most of the tax code.
In making the announcement, Trump praised Long's “32 years of experience running his own business in real estate and as one of the nation's premier auctioneers.” He also said that since leaving Congress in 2023, Long has worked as a business and tax consultant.
Although Trump did not mention the current IRS commissioner, Danny Werfel, in his announcement, the decision indicates that the president-elect could replace him with Long after taking office in January, said Lindsey Owens, executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative. , a progressive economic think tank told CBS MoneyWatch.
The nomination of Long as the next IRS chief drew support from conservatives as well as criticism from the left, with Representative Don Beyer, a Democrat from Virginia who serves on the House Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee, calling it a “terrible mistake.” , while Idaho Republican Senator Mike Crapo issued a statement saying he looked forward to hearing Long's ideas for the tax agency. The fiscally conservative National Taxpayers Union Foundation praised Trump's choice, saying that Long could help reform the IRS.
Long has recently worked as a tax consultant to businesses that want to use the controversial tax credit, but, unlike former IRS commissioners, his background is largely outside the tax industry, experts noted. .
“This guy's an auctioneer – that's his expertise,” Owens said. “It's an incredibly non-serious option.”
Werfel, who was appointed by President Biden, steps into the role in 2023, with his term set to expire in 2027. Typically, presidents allow IRS commissioners to complete their terms, as Mr. Biden allowed former Trump-appointed IRS Charles Rettig. What to do before nominating Werfel's name for this role.
If the Senate approves his appointment to the IRS, Long will oversee an agency with 85,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $12 billion.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign declined to comment.
Here's what you need to know about Long and the IRS.
Who is Billy Long?
Long, who attended the University of Missouri but did not graduate, described himself as website For his congressional campaign as a “fourth-generation native of southwest Missouri.” He touted his skills as an auctioneer, noting that he was named “Best Auctioneer in the Ozarks for seven consecutive years.”
Long also worked in real estate and talk radio and hosted a show on a Missouri AM radio station.
He Close His auction firm, Billy Long Auctions, before being sworn into Congress in 2011, according to a local publication.
What professional experience does Long have in taxes?
As a Congressman, Long co-sponsored some tax-related bills, including several efforts eliminate property taxes As well as a measure called the Tax Code Ending Act.
That legislation would have eliminated much of the current tax code, replacing it with what the bill called a “simpler and fairer system” that would have imposed “lower rates for all Americans.” such are flat taxes is considered regressive by many experts, because low- and middle-income taxpayers must pay a larger share of their income than wealthier Americans.
“As a business owner, Billy knows firsthand how government regulation and burdensome taxes can impact the small businesses that serve as our country's economic engine,” his campaign site reads.
While Long is not an accountant or CPA, he has been involved in tax advising since leaving Congress. For example, in the 2023 podcast, he put off His work helps businesses utilize the employee retention tax credit, a credit that the IRS has Marked For its high fraud rate.
In the podcast, Long also said that when he served as a Congressman, he helped make the ERTC easier for businesses to claim, noting that many qualified for the credit during its first iteration. It was difficult to do.
He said, “We went beyond saying that COVID has certainly had an adverse impact on your business, and waved it off, and you don't have to prove that you had any recession Was.” “We're driving a recovery for people who have had the best two years ever during COVID.”
IRS They say The ERTC is aimed at employers who paid wages to workers between March 12, 2020, and January 1, 2022, and who were either suspended by government order during the pandemic or “for 2020 or the first three calendar days.” The credit is also available to startups that were launched in late 2021 and whose revenues were Was less than $1 million.
How does Long's experience compare to that of former IRS commissioners?
Long's lack of tax industry experience distinguishes him from other recent IRS commissioners.
Werfel, the current IRS chief, has a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a master's degree in public policy from Duke University, as well as a law degree from the University of North Carolina. He also held several government jobs related to operations and the IRS, including serving as Acting Commissioner of the IRS from May to December 2013. According For his biography.
Werfel's predecessor, Charles Rettig, who was appointed by President-elect Trump, also had several degrees, including a master's degree in taxation. Before joining the IRS, Rettig worked as a tax attorney for more than three decades and served as chairman of the IRS Advisory Council.
What's happening with the IRS now?
Under Werfel, the IRS has extended audit Wealthy taxpayers and large corporations collected billions of dollars in unpaid taxes, an effort funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.
The tax agency has also reduced the time it takes consumers to connect with an IRS employee free tax filing system Called direct file.
Some Republican lawmakers have opposed expanded IRS funding, claim of The agency will use the money to hire thousands of new agents to increase audits on middle-class taxpayers.
Treasury had said the funding could help the IRS add about 87,000 full-time employees over 10 years, but the agency did not specify whether those new hires would be auditors, customer service workers or other types of employees. This figure also represents the total number of employees that could be hired, without counting the impact of the number of IRS workers expected to retire or leave the department over the next several years.
Some Democratic lawmakers are expressing concern that if appointed, Long could disrupt the progress the IRS has made under Werfel.
“Werfel has done an outstanding job in rebuilding the IRS, boosting customer service, and increasing enforcement against wealthy tax evaders,” Rep. Baer said in a statement. “Removing them would clearly signal Trump's intent to make the agency less accountable to the American people, while giving wealthy tax cheats the green light to avoid their fair share of the tax burden.”
Nevertheless, Republican lawmakers, such as Senator Crapo, expressed support for this selection, who highlighted “privacy and security” issues and “inefficient use of resources” at the IRS. He added, “I look forward to learning more about Mr. Long's vision for the agency.”