Wyden Hearing Statement on TIGTA Nomination
As Prepared for Delivery
The Finance Committee meets this morning to discuss the nomination of David Johnson to serve as Inspector General for Tax Administration.
First, on Mr. Johnson’s background. This is a non-partisan, down-the-middle nominee for a position that requires exactly that type of individual.
Mr. Johnson currently serves as the Assistant Inspector General for Investigations at the Department of Veterans Affairs -- a key oversight role at the second largest federal agency.
He previously served as a federal prosecutor in a few different positions. That includes several years as Assistant Chief in the Fraud Section of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice.
He also served as Assistant United States Attorney and Health Care Fraud Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Independent oversight of the IRS is in the best interest of all taxpayers. It’s a challenging job. The Treasury Department has a separate Inspector General -- but tax issues and the IRS require their own special focus.
TIGTA, as it’s known to those of us who work closely on tax policy, is all about good government and protecting taxpayer dollars at the IRS. It helps improve tax administration and it fights waste, fraud and abuse. Those are priorities for members on both sides. This committee depends on TIGTA to provide the public with unbiased information and non-partisan oversight to help us do our jobs.
Mr. Johnson is a highly qualified nominee. I’m looking forward to our discussion today, and I’m looking forward to processing his nomination as quickly as possible.
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