The Senate has confirmed former U.S. Representative Billy Long of Missouri as the next commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The vote was 53-44 along party lines, with all Republicans in the Senate voting yes—all of the no votes came from Democrats.
IRS Revolving Doors
The vote puts a period on a process that had grown contentious at times. President Donald Trump announced Long’s nomination in December of 2024, even though Danny Werfel was then serving a term as IRS Commissioner that would normally run until late in 2027.
Werfel subsequently announced his resignation, effective January 20, 2025. Since Long had not yet been confirmed at that time, Werfel was replaced by Doug O’Donnell, who had served as Acting Commissioner following Werfel’s departure. O’Donnell left his position on February 28, 2025 and was replaced by then IRS Chief Operating Officer Melanie Krause. Krause announced her departure in April 2025, following the tax agency’s agreement to share immigrant tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Michael Faulkender joined the revolving doors at the IRS as the Acting Commissioner on April 18, 2025—he has been in the position since that time.
Long will now officially take the reins at the tax agency.
About Billy Long
Long does not have any formal training in tax, law, or accounting, does not have a college degree, and never served in Congress on a tax writing committee. He dropped out of the University of Missouri before returning to school—this time, to an auction training program at the Missouri Auction School. He was told, he explained to Auctioneer Magazine, that it was the “Harvard of auctioneering schools.” There, he earned his Certified Auctioneer designation.
Once he made the career switch to auctioneering, Long says he averaged about 200 auctions per year for 20 years. Today, he is in the National Auction Association Hall of Fame.
In 2010, Long was elected as the U.S. Representative of Missouri’s 7th Congressional District, serving until 2023. He subsequently ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022 but lost in the Republican primary.
While in the House, Long served on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Homeland Security, and the Republican Steering Committee. He did not serve on any tax or finance committees. However, he was awarded the “Tax Fighter Award” by the National Tax Limitation Committee (the organization appears to no longer exist—its former website now points to a Thai gambling site).
IRS Commissioners are appointed for a five-year term that runs from the date of appointment (as opposed to the date of Senate confirmation). Before Trump’s announcement, Werfel had previously indicated that he intended to serve out his term, which was slated to expire in 2027.
Before Werfel, Charles Rettig, a tax lawyer and Trump appointee, served as Commissioner. Rettig left office on November 12, 2022, at the end of his term, which began on October 1, 2018, after he was confirmed.
Concerns About Long
Long was confirmed despite concerns about his ties to companies that promoted controversial tax credits, including a nonexistent “tribal tax credit and the employee retention tax credit (ERC).
Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, pulled no punches at Long’s May 20 confirmation hearing, saying, “Congressman Long’s experience with tax issues came after he left Congress, when he dove headlong into the tax scam industry.” Democrats also expressed concern that Long might allow political interference from the White House at the tax agency, an issue that has been in the spotlight more since Trump threatened to revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status. Long has reposted social media posts critical of Harvard, Columbia, and other tax-exempt organizations.
When questioned about the issue by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Long initially suggested that he would seek legal advice to determine whether it would be appropriate for the president to direct the IRS to conduct an investigation or audit. Long replied, “I’m gonna follow the law, and if that’s the law, yes.” Warren confirmed that it was the law, reading aloud part of the statute (Section 7217), which she had sent to him in advance.
Since Long is serving out the remainder of Werfel’s term, he is expected to serve through November 12, 2027.
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