[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 172 (Wednesday, November 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6682]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO HAROLD HIRSCH

  Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, I rise on behalf of myself and Senator 
Crapo, speaking as chair and ranking member of the Finance Committee. 
Today, we commend Harold Hirsch on his service to the U.S. Congress for 
over 47 years. Mr. Hirsch served as a lawyer and tax expert on the 
staff of the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation of the United 
States Congress from the beginning of 1977 to October 2024, when he 
retired. Prior to 1977, Mr. Hirsch had worked as a lawyer for the 
office of the Judge Advocate General and for the legislation and 
regulations section at the Internal Revenue Service, government service 
for which we also thank him.
  As is well known, the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation staff 
performs useful or at times indispensable functions to the Members as 
the Congress develops tax legislation. Mr. Hirsch's legal acumen, 
drafting brilliance, and deep understanding of tax policy issues 
contributed to the quality of tax legislation in numerous tax bills 
over the period he served on the JCT staff. Though reserved, even self-
effacing, Mr. Hirsch brought thoughtful commentary to the development 
of proposed tax legislation. He gave an extremely careful reading of 
proposed legislative text, and his keen eye for possible statutory 
errors averted problems that would otherwise have plagued taxpayers, 
practitioners, and government administrators alike. Mr. Hirsch's 
technical skills and expertise in the craft of helping the Congress 
produce the best statutory representation of Members' intent redounded 
to the benefit of the American taxpayer.
  This dedicated work should not go unknown and unrecognized. The 
Congress thanks Mr. Hirsch for his service in the field of tax 
legislation.

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