Congressional Republicans are hungry for an overhaul of the Internal Revenue Service, and they see former Rep. Billy Long, who Donald Trump picked to lead the agency, as someone who can make that happen.
Long, a former Missouri congressman and auctioneer, has a history of supporting legislation to abolish the IRS. His confirmation would require Trump to break with the long-standing tradition of allowing the agency’s commissioner to finish out their five-year term.
On Capitol Hill, Republicans were unbothered by the prospect of Trump firing the current head of the IRS. They were mostly just excited for Long to pursue some of their priorities.