Overview
Hatch Announces Departure of Tax Counsel Mark Prater: Today Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) announced that after nearly 30 years with the Finance Committee, Deputy Staff Director and Chief Tax Counsel Mark Prater will be departing the committee staff. Hatch also announced the appointment of Dr. Jeff Wrase to serve as the new deputy staff director and Jennifer Acuña to be chief tax counsel. Wrase has served as the committee’s chief economist since 2011, working on a number of issues including tax reform, trade, budget issues and Social Security. Before joining the committee, Wrase worked as chief economist for the Senate Banking Committee, Senate Budget Committee, House Budget Committee, and Joint Economic Committee. Acuña has served as the committee’s senior tax counsel and policy advisor since February 2017. She was the lead policy staffer in drafting tax reform’s international provisions. Prior to joining the committee, she was tax counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee.
TIGTA Announces Personnel Changes in the Office of Investigations: The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) announced today new appointments in the Office of Investigations, including the appointment of James S. Jackson to the position of Deputy Inspector General for Investigations (DIGI). The DIGI is a key position for TIGTA, as it oversees an organization of more than 380 employees located in 66 locations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Jackson has served as Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations since January 1, 2018. In addition, TIGTA announced the appointments of Ruben Florez to the position of Assistant Inspector General for Investigations (AIGI) over Field Operations, and the appointment of Jeffrey Long to the position of AIGI over the Threat, Agent Safety, and Sensitive Investigations Directorate for TIGTA’s Office of Investigations. In their new positions, Florez and Long will provide the day-to-day executive leadership to both TIGTA’s investigative operations and headquarters support functions.
Miscellaneous Guidance:
Revenue Procedure 2018-34 provides the applicable percentage table in section 36B(b)(3)(A)(i) and the required contribution percentage in section 36B(c)(2)(C)(i)(II) to provide the percentages to be used for 2019.