(USNewsMag.com) – In a vote of 54-42 the former acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, Daniel Werfel, was approved by the Senate to lead the IRS. He will serve as commissioner of the IRS for five years. Werfel, who was nominated in November, will replace Charles Rettig.
Six Republicans, including Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Indiana Sen. Todd Young joined the Democrats in voting to confirm Werfel. After expressing his concerns with the Inflation Reduction Act implementation West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin was the only Democrat to vote against the confirmation.
Four Senators did not vote including California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell and Idaho Sen. James Risch.
In February, the Senate Committee on Finance asked Werfel about how he would use the new $80 billion in funding the IRS is set to receive as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Werfel stated he would use the funding by what had been the directive of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. He said for those businesses and households who make less than $400,000 per year that tax audits would not be expanded to include those taxpayers. The Committee voted to approve his confirmation, 17-9.
The new funding was backed by Democrats who want to see the IRS provide taxpayers with better service as well as crackdown on those evading tax laws. Republicans were against the extra funding as they see it as the potential for extra taxpayer audits.
For 16 years, Werfel worked at the White House’s Office of Management and Budget as deputy controller and the then federal controller. He worked in the Office of Financial Stability. In 2013, for 7 months, he was the acting IRS commissioner. Werfel is currently a partner and managing director at Boston Consulting Group.
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