Senate Finance Committee Hears Nomation of Mike Faulkinder; Members Press on Treasury and IRS Oversight

WASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee on Monday heard testimony from Mike Faulkinder, nominee to be deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, as senators probed his record and pressed him on oversight of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service.

Faulkinder, a university economist who previously served as assistant secretary for economic policy at Treasury, told the committee he is honored by the nomination and committed to following the law and responding to the panel's oversight requests if confirmed. He outlined prior government experience, including work on the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program, and cited an award he received during earlier Treasury service.

Committee members said the deputy secretary post carries primary responsibility for the formulation and execution of Treasury policy across areas including federal payments, tax administration and sanctions. Several senators used the hearing to press Faulkinder about alleged unauthorized access to Treasury payment systems, reported and planned reductions at the IRS, protections for whistleblowers and Treasury's modernization plans.

Ranking Member Wyden…