Kenneth Kies to Helm Tax Policy for the Department of the Treasury

Kies received Senate confirmation in a party-line vote.

The U.S. Senate today held a recorded vote to confirm one individual nominated by President Donald Trump to serve in the executive branch of government - specifically in the U.S. Department of the Treasury led by Secretary Scott Bessent since January 2025.

In a 53-45 vote, Kenneth Kies was confirmed as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy. The position has been held by acting officials since February 2024, when Lily Batchelder resigned after serving since September 2021.

All 53 Republicans approved Kies’ nomination. 43 Democrats and two Independents voted in opposition. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Ed Markey (D-MA) did not vote.

Kies was nominated to this position by Trump in January 2025. Since February 2002, he has been a lobbyist and consultant for tax policy at Federal Policy Group in Washington, D.C.

In government, Kies served as Chief Republican Tax Counsel on the House Committee on Ways and Means from January 1982 to January 1987 and Chief of Staff to the Joint Committee on Taxation from January 1995 to January 1998. In the private sector, he was an associate at BakerHostetler in Cleveland from June 1977 to January 1982 and returned to chair the tax practice from January 1988 to December 1994. And finally, he was co-managing partner of tax services at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Washington, D.C. from February 1998 to January 2002.