06032025 Morrissey Testimony Pdf 53c497d92dc0e89d
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Cited in: Brian P. Morrissey Jr.
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Opening Statement of Brian P. Morrissey, Jr.
Nominee to Serve as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury
U.S. Senate Committee on Finance
June 3, 2025
Chairman Crapo, Ranking Member Wyden, and Members of the Committee: It is an
honor to appear before you today as you consider my nomination to serve as General Counsel of
the Department of the Treasury.
I would like to thank President Trump for this opportunity to serve our country, and I
would like to thank Secretary Bessent for his confidence in me.
I am also grateful to the Members and staff of this Committee who have taken the time to
meet with me. I have appreciated these opportunities to discuss your priorities and, if confirmed,
I look forward to working together.
I would also like to thank my family. First, my wife, Tara is here today. Tara and I met
as classmates at the University of Notre Dame Law School, and we both have been blessed with
opportunities for public service at different points in our careers, first as law clerks at the U.S.
Supreme Court and later as lawyers at the Department of Justice. I am deeply grateful for Tara’s
advice, support, and love in all of our many adventures. Next, our three sons, each of whom we
are extremely proud of: Daniel, age 12; Sean, age 9; and Brendan, age 3. Finally, my parents,
Brian and Catherine Morrissey, and Tara’s parents, Michelle Wells, and Larry and Rhonda
Stuckey. There are not enough words and there is not enough time to adequately thank each of
you for the countless sacrifices you made while raising us and those you continue to make for
our family as we raise our boys.
I had the privilege to serve at Treasury as Deputy General Counsel in the President’s first
term, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, when much of our work focused on
implementing the important legislation Congress enacted to see the country through that storm.
If confirmed, it would be an honor to return to the Department and contribute to its efforts to
meet the new challenges and new opportunities we face today.
It would also be a special privilege to lead Treasury’s Legal Division, which I know from
personal experience is home to some of the finest and most dedicated lawyers in the world. I
would be honored to become colleagues with them once again.
Treasury’s responsibilities are vitally important. The liberty and prosperity of all
Americans depends, in no small measure, on Treasury’s ability to successfully protect the
integrity of our financial system and our tax code, to advance policies that foster economic
growth, and to use the United States’ economic power to combat threats to our national security.
The Legal Division does not set policy in any of these areas. Rather, our role is to ensure
that the actions Treasury takes to achieve its mission are lawful, durable, and clear.
First and foremost, we are responsible for ensuring that Treasury’s actions are faithful to
the laws Congress has entrusted the Department to administer and, ultimately, to the Constitution
we all take an oath to serve.
Second, we are called upon to provide policymakers with our best judgment on how the
Department’s legal authorities appropriately may be used to solve the challenges of the day while
minimizing litigation and other risks.
Third, we have a duty to ensure that Treasury’s legal actions are clear. As I have learned
from both sides of the table, serving in government and representing clients in the private sector,
the first step to achieving compliance is ensuring that the rules of the road are clearly stated and
adequately explained.
If confirmed, my legal advice will always be rooted in these principles.
If confirmed, I will also remain focused on the importance of a close working
relationship with Congress. That was an enduring lesson from my time at Treasury during the
pandemic, when there was no time to waste in ensuring that the Department implemented the
laws Congress passed to combat that threat lawfully, swiftly, and effectively. I hope to rely on
that experience in our future work together.
And finally, if confirmed, I pledge to this Committee that I will honor the Treasury Legal
Division’s proud tradition of integrity, excellence, and professionalism, and that I will work
every day to serve as a faithful steward of the office who aims to build upon its strong
foundations and pass it off even stronger to its future leadership.
Thank you again for your time today. I look forward to your questions.
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