December 15,2003

Baucus Officially Announces Finance Committee Staff Changes New Staff Director, Deputy Staff Director and Chief Tax Counsel Chosen


(WASHINGTON, D.C.) U.S. Senator Max Baucus has announced three promotions within theSenate Finance Committee. Russ Sullivan has been appointed as Democratic Staff Director, BillDauster as Deputy Staff Director, and Patrick Heck has been named to the position of Chief TaxCounsel.

"I am pleased to announce these significant promotions," Baucus said. "We've puttogether a top-notch, incredibly knowledgeable Finance Committee team. Russ, Bill and Pat allbring a wealth of experience and leadership to their new positions. I can't imagine better peopleto lead us into the second session of the 108th Congress."

Since 1999, Russ Sullivan has served as Democratic Chief Tax Counsel for the SenateFinance Committee. From 2001-2003, he served under Finance Committee Ranking MemberBaucus and from 1999-2000, he served under Senator Pat Moynihan. Prior to that, Russ was TaxCounsel and Legislative Director for Senator Bob Graham from 1995-1999.

Before working on Capitol Hill, Russ worked as a tax attorney at the law firm of Vinson& Elkins. He holds an accounting degree from Baylor University and a law degree from theUniversity of Texas. In addition to his significant Finance Committee responsibilities, Russmentors teenagers in the Washington area and provides foster care for troubled juveniles.Bill Dauster joined the Finance Committee last April as Democratic General Counsel.

He has worked in Washington, D.C. since 1986, holding a number of positions including ChiefCounsel and Democratic Chief of Staff on the Senate Budget Committee. Bill has also served asDemocratic Chief of Staff for the Senate Labor Committee and Deputy Assistant to the Presidentfor Economic Policy under the Clinton Administration. Immediately prior to joining the FinanceCommittee last April, Bill served as Legislative Director for Senator Russ Feingold.

Patrick Heck has been with the Senate Finance Committee since 2000. Prior to hispromotion to Democratic Chief Tax Counsel, Pat served as Chief Investigative Counsel on thecommittee. He now holds both roles on the committee.

Pat has worked on a range of issues for the committee, including legislation relating totax exempt organizations and Federal exc ise taxes. He coordinated the committee’sinvestigation into Enron and the problem of abusive tax avoidance transactions.

Prior to joining the Finance Committee, Pat was a Senior Manager with the FederalLegislative Services Group at Ernst & Young, LLP from 1995 -2000. From 1995-1998, Patworked for the U.S. House of Representative as Assistant Counsel for the House Ways andMeans Subcommittee on Oversight, chaired by Rep. J. J. (Jake) Pickle. Pat has also worked atthe Internal Revenue Service, as a Trial Attorney with the Tax Shelter Branch at the IRS Officeof Chief Counsel from 1985 - 1988 and as a Tax Law Specialist with IRS’s Employee Plans andExempt Organizations division from 1983 - 1985.

He received degrees in political science and economics from The American University inWashington, D.C.; his J.D. degree from the University of Toledo College of Law; and LLM inTaxation from Georgetown University Law Center.