Pete Sepp
As seen in:
MSN,
The New York Times,
Fox News,
USA Today,
Aol,
New York Post,
U.S. News and World Report,
Yahoo Finance,
Fortune,
POLITICO
and
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Pete Sepp
DC Leaders Must Reduce Spending Because Pandemic Funding Is Gone
Watch NTU President Pete Sepp on WUSA9 on May 18, 2026. VIDEO
Foreword for Speed to Power: How Electricity Ratepayers Can Win the AI Race
Foreword for Speed to Power: How Electricity Ratepayers Can Win the AI Race Data center, super computer, quantum computing, storage clouds space and internet infrastructure in the Netherlands, aerial drone video. Should taxpayers love or loathe data centers? This question seems a loaded one in the first place. To ask it is to present a binary choice when, in reality, public opinion on the matter is more complex.
Jones Act Waivers Reduce Impact of Economic Disruptions
View PDF President Donald J. Trump 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, National Taxpayers Union (NTU) commends you for waiving the Jones Act to mitigate supply disruptions as Operation Epic Fury continues. Taxpayers deeply appreciate your leadership in ensuring that America’s economy remains the strongest in the world. Your action facilitated the transportation of oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and other essential resources that Americans rely on.
340B Rebate Pilot Can Provide Valuable Lessons for Future Reform
April 20, 2026 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Pharmacy Affairs Attn: Chantelle Britton, Director Posted on regulations.gov and sent via email: 340Bpricing@HRSA.gov Re: Request for Information: 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program, HHS Docket No. HRSA-2026-03042 On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, we write with brief remarks on HRSA-2026-03042, which seeks comments...
Congress Can Improve IRS operations and Simplify the Tax Code
REMARKS OF PETE SEPP PRESIDENT, NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION Before the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Burchett, Ranking Member Stansbury, Members of the Subcommittee, I am honored to present National Taxpayers Union’s (NTU’s) views on “the IRS under audit.” I can think of no more appropriate place than here to “review operations at the nation’s tax collector,” and no better format for a substantive, thoughtful...
Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act Advances Long Overdue Reforms
View PDF The bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act (TAS Act, S.3931), introduced in February by Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), represents a major, needed step toward addressing common challenges faced by taxpayers. This legislation advances a comprehensive set of reforms that would improve the taxpayer experience from tax filing to dispute resolution, while also focusing on the needs of long underserved taxpayers.
Revision of Guidance for IRS Treatment of Partnerships Would Be a Win for Taxpayers
April 6, 2026 Internal Revenue Service Attn: CC:PA:01:PR (REG–108921–25) Room 5503, P.O. Box 7604 Ben Franklin Station Washington, DC 20044 Re: Comments on IRS REG–108921–25, Removal of Final Regulations Identifying Certain Partnership Related-Party Basis Adjustment Transactions as Transactions of Interest On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, I write with this submission to your notice and request for public comments regarding...
“National Security” Tariffs on Medicines Make U.S. Less Secure
Last week’s announcement from the White House that the U.S. government would levy import taxes on certain patented pharmaceuticals and associated ingredients using the Section 232 national security tariff authority could, ironically, endanger the national security asset that is our balanced prescription drug market. Taxpayers, as a result, are in danger as well. National Taxpayers Union (NTU) President Pete Sepp offered the following reaction.
TSA Airport Chaos Should Be Illegal -- Because Flyers Already Pay For Security
Original Article Posted By: J. Arthur Brown, 3/26/2026 6:58:30 PM For weeks now, frustrated travelers have been caught in hours-long security check lines as overwhelmed Transportation Security Administration agents were forced to work this way. (snip) it never should have happened (snip.) taxpayers and travelers already pay for transportation security, not through their taxes but through their plane tickets.
TSA airport chaos should be illegal — because flyers already pay for security
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app. The only apps that gives you a comprehensive real time celeb news stream. Gossip Bucket aggregates and streams the latest gossip news and headlines from the top sources in one place.
TSA airport chaos should be illegal — because flyers already pay for security
Travelers line up at a TSA checkpoint on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at LaGuardia Airport in New York. AP For weeks now, frustrated travelers trying to catch flights all over the United States have been caught in hours-long security-check lines as overwhelmed Transportation Security Administration agents were forced to work without pay.
Litigation by Default: How the IRS Turned Conservation Easements into a Court Crisis
Originally published in Tax Notes on March 23, 2026. View PDF A misguided IRS litigation strategy has clogged the docket of the Tax Court, delaying justice for ordinary taxpayers who must wait in line.
Past, Present, or Future, Balanced Budget Amendment Is a Timely Reform
In 1993, when this author was editor of National Taxpayers Union’s printed newsletter Dollars & Sense, I wrote a piece entitled “The Balanced Budget Amendment: A Matter of Time.” It began with a simple observation: As I sit down to write this, I realized that I have seen only one federal budget in my lifetime that did not result in a deficit. In 1969, when I was still a child, our government ran a $3.2 billion surplus.
Commentary: Federal Watchdog Overrides Fannie and Freddie, Overruns Taxpayer Protections on Credit Scoring
Suppose Sunday’s Super Bowl contest had nothing to do with the strengths of each team in full view of fans, expert commentators, and officials on the sidelines of the football field. Rather, a “super-referee” could have decided what those fans and commentators got to see, while those officials would have no final say over the scoreboard. Instead, the super-referee would call the winner, regardless of the actual state of play.
Federal Watchdog Overrides Fannie and Freddie, Overruns Taxpayer Protections on Credit Scoring
Suppose Sunday’s Super Bowl contest had nothing to do with the strengths of each team in full view of fans, expert commentators, and officials on the sidelines of the football field. Rather, a “super-referee” could have decided what those fans and commentators got to see, while those officials would have no final say over the scoreboard. Instead, the super-referee would call the winner, regardless of the actual state of play.
COMMENTARY: Public option dangers
Nevadans face a critical turning point that could dramatically alter the future direction of health care in the state for years to come. The Battle Born State Plan began on Jan. 1, putting Nevada on the brink of launching a government-controlled “public option” insurance scheme. It is essential to understand why this policy threatens patient choice and the long-term stability of health care for families across the state. The state’s public option was created in 2021 through Senate Bill 420.
Smart policies will show taxpayers the benefits of data centers
The exit polls for the recent elections in New Jersey and Virginia revealed that, for voters, economic issues and electricity costs were top of mind at the ballot box. And in some races, voters apparently viewed data centers, centralized facilities for servers, storage, and other devices that help run the digital economy, as the root cause of their energy affordability woes.
Smart policies will show taxpayers the benefits of data centers
The exit polls for the recent elections in New Jersey and Virginia revealed that, for voters, economic issues and electricity costs were top of mind at the ballot box. And in some races, voters apparently viewed data centers, centralized facilities for servers, storage, and other devices that help run the digital economy, as the root cause of their energy affordability woes.
With Banking, Taxpayers Have a Big Stake In Big Data
It has to be one of the driest policy topics ever in the banking and financial services space, and yet it’s caused a flood of controversy for 15 years: a small part of the massive Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 that requires financial institutions to provide consumers with access to their financial data and governs how that data is shared with other parties.
Stealing innocent people’s tax returns isn't heroic. The IRS leaker doesn’t deserve a do-over. Original
IRS Charles Littlejohn exposed hundreds of thousands of Americans’ private tax returns and undermined the nation’s voluntary tax system. His five-year sentence shouldn’t be reduced. | (Jen Golbeck/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom) This week, convicted tax-return leaker Charles Littlejohn will ask an appeals court to reduce his five-year prison sentence. But after inflicting extensive, lasting damage on the U.S. system of voluntary taxation, he should feel fortunate he didn't get a harsher sentence.
Government Should Approach 340B Expansion with Caution, Protect Taxpayers
View PDF The Honorable Bill Cassidy, M.D., Chair The Honorable Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 428 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chair Cassidy, Ranking Member Sanders, and Members of the Committee: On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), America’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, I am honored to offer several resources the Committee may find useful in connection with today’s hearing entitled, “The...
Op-Ed: On Credit Scores, Governments Blunder, Taxpayers Wonder
Taxpayers have a huge stake in ensuring that financial risks are properly and predictably measured for the government loan programs they have been forced to backstop. Credit scores are vital tools for taking those measurements, so the loan space has common reference points for creditworthiness.
Keeping America's Rail System on Track: What Policymakers Can Learn from the 1980 Regulatory Reforms
View PDF Deregulation of America’s freight rail system in 1980 not only helped save the industry from collapse, but has turbocharged America’s economy over the past four-and-a-half decades. Unfortunately, lawmakers continue to push policies that could turn back the clock on the Staggers Rail Act by imposing crushing rules and regulations—which would harm American businesses, consumers, and taxpayers.
Counterfeit Foreign Drug Crackdown Should Protect Access and Affordability
The Honorable Rick Scott, Chairman The Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand, Ranking Member Special Committee on Aging United States Senate G16 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chair Scott, Ranking Member Gillibrand, and Members of the Committee: On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), America’s oldest national-level taxpayer advocacy organization, I write to offer comments for the record regarding the Committee’s hearing today entitled “Bad Medicine: Closing Loopholes...
Policing Counterfeit Medicines Shouldn't Come at the Expense of U.S. Economic Freedom
122 C Street N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001 October 1, 2025 Claire Avery-Page Director for Innovation and Intellectual Property Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Re: USTR-2025-0018, 2025 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, we write with brief observations “that identify online and physical markets to be considered for inclusion in the 2025 Review...
House Freedom Caucus: Let COVID-era Obamacare Subsidies Expire
Congress has returned to its fall legislative battles. Among them: whether to extend the Biden-era expanded Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies passed during the COVID pandemic. These so-called “temporary” enhancements, originally enacted under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) during COVID, were meant to soften the economic blow of a global health emergency, but Washington is now flirting with the idea of making them permanent. That would be a colossal mistake. Read the full story here.
A Champion for Taxpayers, from Iowa to the International Stage: Remembering David Stanley
When we read about the history of the U.S. tax revolt, most of us will recognize the name of Howard Jarvis of California Proposition-13 fame. Some may also remember names such as Richard Headlee (Michigan), Barbara Anderson (Massachusetts), Mel Hancock (Missouri), Jim Gibbons (Nevada), Sydney Hay (Arizona), and Douglas Bruce (Colorado) for their contributions to limiting the financial reach of government in their respective states.
On Credit Scores, Governments Blunder, Taxpayers Wonder
Taxpayers have a huge stake in ensuring that financial risks are properly and predictably measured for the government loan programs they have been forced to backstop. Credit scores are vital tools for taking those measurements, so the loan space has common reference points for creditworthiness.
11 Taxpayer Questions for the IRS Chief Counsel Nominee
Note: The Author gratefully acknowledges the contributions of NTU Foundation Vice President of Research Demian Brady and Policy Manager Debbie Jennings to this article.
Rebate Model Pilot Can Boost 340B's Mission, Reduce Costs
122 C Street N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001 September 8, 2025 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Pharmacy Affairs Attn: Chantelle Britton, Director Posted on regulations.gov and sent via email: 340Bpricing@HRSA.gov Re: HHS Docket No. HRSA-2025-14619, 340B Program Notice: Application Process for the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy...
Despite IRS Turnover, Opportunities to Flip Bad Policies Abound
The departure of Billy Long late last week marks the tenure (to use the term loosely) of half a dozen IRS commissioners in little more than half a year. Many IRS watchers are left to wonder whether and how this tenuous continuity of leadership will affect desperately needed reforms to tax administration.
President Trump: Tough Trade Negotiations Can Put American Innovation – and Taxpayers – First
President Trump recently succeeded in stopping discriminatory Digital Services Taxes (DSTs) from Canada, which hurt taxpaying American businesses and families in their wallets. Now it’s time to build on that win as key trade negotiation deadlines approach between the U.S. and the European Union (EU). As the National Taxpayers Union has often pointed out before, the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) are steeped in controversy.
Most Favored Nation Drug Pricing Model Won't Cut Costs for Americans
122 C Street N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001 June 27, 2025 Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Attn: Catherine Gibson, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Monitoring and Enforcement Submitted via https://comments.ustr.gov/s/ Re: Docket Number USTR-2025-0011, Request for Comments Regarding Foreign Nations Freeloading on American Financed Innovation Note: The following version of these NTU comments contain updated and enhanced citations as well as other...
Big, Beautiful Bill heads off tax increases for Iowans
After months of debate, President Donald Trump signed his “Big, Beautiful, Bill” into law on Independence Day. If Congress had failed to act, for taxpayers it would have resulted in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expiring, which would have resulted in massive tax increase that would be detrimental to the economy. At the core of the bill is renewal of the TCJA income tax cuts and making those permanent along with the expanded standard deduction.
Big, Beautiful Bill heads off tax increases for Iowans
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced. After months of debate, President Donald Trump signed his “Big, Beautiful, Bill” into law on Independence Day. If Congress had failed to act, for taxpayers it would have resulted in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expiring, which would have resulted in massive tax increase that would be detrimental to the economy.
Tax and Regulatory Reform: A Match Made In Washington
Since Inauguration Day, the White House has led what the Washington Post calls a “vast deregulatory effort” to streamline or remove thousands of unproductive, overreaching regulations. Read the full story here.
Fed Should Help, Not Hinder, Key Bank Reforms
The Federal Reserve’s first, foremost function is best summarized on the Fed’s own website: “promote maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates in the U.S. economy” through monetary policy. Its critically independent mission does not include tinkering with the executive branch’s lawful functions or going it alone on reforms that elected officials are pursuing in good faith.
Department of Transportation Should Create Advocate for Those Affected by Regulations
Mr. Daniel Cohen U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the General Counsel 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Re: Comments on DOT-OST-2025-0026-0001, “Ensuring Lawful Regulation; Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs” Dear Mr. Cohen: On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), America’s oldest national-level taxpayer advocacy organization, I am pleased to submit the following brief comments regarding the Department of Transportation’s Request for Information...
Senate Should Maximize Growth Potential of One Big Beautiful Bill | Pete Sepp | America's Voice Live
FOIA Failures at the IRS Are Leaving Taxpayers in the Dark
If President Donald Trump’s nominee for IRS commissioner, Billy Long, takes the helm, there will be no shortage of problems waiting for him: rushed rulemakings, reduced taxpayer appeal rights, outdated processing systems, and diminished frontline service, to name a few. But fixing one overlooked issue—the agency’s broken Freedom of Information Act process—could go far in restoring public trust.
FOIA Failures at the IRS Are Leaving Taxpayers in the Dark Original
If President Donald Trump’s nominee for IRS commissioner, Billy Long, takes the helm, there will be no shortage of problems waiting for him: rushed rulemakings, reduced taxpayer appeal rights, outdated processing systems, and diminished frontline service, to name a few. But fixing one overlooked issue—the agency’s broken Freedom of Information Act process—could go far in restoring public trust.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Pete
Contact Pete, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack