Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen says he’s glad embattled IRS official Lois Lerner has been placed on administrative leave, calling her departure the right step as investigations continue into the agency’s targeting of conservative groups.
“It is very important to get her out of the way here so we can start fresh leadership,” Van Hollen said on Friday’s The Daily Rundown. “It’s good they are moving forward right now and we have to continue the investigation and get to the bottom of this issue.”
Van Hollen, who serves as the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, said he’s hopeful about the prospect of immigration reform as it moves forward, but that a bipartisan version of the Senate bill is also needed in the House.
“There aren’t a majority of Republicans in the House who support a bill like the Senate bill. So if we can put something together in the House like the Senate bill and still get it out with the majority vote, let the House work its will; that would be the way to go. We cannot allow the momentum from the immigration reform bill in the Senate to slow down,” he said.
After hearing President Obama’s Thursday speech outlining modified counterterrorism efforts, Van Hollen said he supported an updated and balanced approach.
“We need to update it for the newer threats but make sure we also don’t have open ended authority for presidents to do whatever they want without greater oversight and transparency,” said Van Hollen.
Karly Schledwitz