Ever since President Richard Nixon was found to have understated his tax liability in the early 1970s, it has become common practice for presidents to release their tax returns. Donald Trump is the only president since Nixon to refuse to do so, but Congress does have one law at its disposal.
Section 6301(f)(1) of the tax code stipulates that upon official written request, the Treasury Secretary “shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request.” On April 3, the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal did exactly that and sent a letter to the IRS formally requesting President Trump’s tax returns.
