Up for Senate Confirmation–New IRS Commissioner

President Joe Biden has nominated Danny Werfel to return as head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Werfel, a consultant and podcaster, was previously acting head of the agency for seven months in 2013.

If confirmed by the Senate, Werfel will oversee the implementation of the controversial $80 billion expansion of the IRS, which was approved by Congress in an effort to increase enforcement and modernize technology. Republicans, who will take control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, opposed the expansion and are promising intense scrutiny of IRS spending. Werfel previously co-hosted a podcast called “GovActually” about government operations and served as a managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group. In 2013,

Werfel was appointed to the temporary position of acting commissioner during the controversy surrounding the IRS’s scrutiny of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. He suspended Lois Lerner, the head of the office overseeing nonprofit groups, and led a report concluding that the IRS made mistakes but showed no intentional wrongdoing. He also delayed the start of the 2014 tax filing season due to a government shutdown, leading to slower tax refunds for some households.

Werfel’s previous experience as acting commissioner may come up during congressional hearings, as Rep. Darrell Issa has previously accused Obama-era IRS commissioners of not being forthright with Congress.

We at IRSProb.com have high hopes for Mr. Werfel and wish him all the best.