Senate Panel Advances Trump’s Nominee to Lead IRS by One-Vote Margin

Reflecting the partisan divide, a Democrat leader made a last-minute appeal to replace the Republican nominee who has faced intense scrutiny.

Former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.), President Donald Trump's nominee to be Internal Revenue Service commissioner, speaks during a Senate Finance Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 20, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

After narrowly winning a Senate committee’s approval, President Donald Trump’s nominee for IRS director will advance to a full Senate vote.

The Senate Finance Committee’s June 3 vote, 14–13 in favor of nominee Billy Long, followed months of controversy along partisan lines and comes as the agency faces allegations of disorganization, mismanagement, and targeting political opponents.