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I am pleased the Senate took bipartisan action to confirm John Koskinen as the next Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. From turning around large private sector organizations, like the Penn Central Railroad, to tackling obstacles facing the government, including the Y2K challenge, John's distinguished career has prepared him to assume this important position at this critical time. I have known John ever since we worked together at the Office of Management and Budget during the Clinton administration, and we are fortunate he is returning to public service.
John shares my ironclad commitment to continuing to rebuild the public's trust in the IRS. The work of the IRS, which is carried out by dedicated public servants, touches virtually every American, and we need someone at the helm who brings both a strong commitment to high quality customer service and the practical abilities to strengthen the agency. Not only is John that person, he is someone with a great deal of integrity who has earned bipartisan support over the decades for achieving results on behalf of Democratic and Republican Presidents.
I also want to thank Danny Werfel for his tremendous work as Acting Commissioner of the IRS. During trying times, Danny has been extraordinarily successful at taking on a very difficult task and moving the agency in the right direction. He acted swiftly to root out problems and reshape the management structure at the IRS. Danny even remained in this position much longer than he had planned in order to provide a seamless transition in leadership. As a longtime career civil servant and as a policy official, he has consistently put his nation first. Danny's achievements over the past several months are a testament to his tireless dedication and long history of excellence.
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