Joshua Odintz Joins Fiscal Commission as Chief Tax Counsel

WASHINGTON - The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, the bi-partisan commission charged with identifying policies to improve the fiscal situation of the federal budget in the medium term and to achieve long-term fiscal sustainability, is pleased to announce that Joshua Odintz has joined the staff as Chief Tax Counsel. Odintz will be responsible for helping the commission explore tax and reform options that will be part of the Commission's recommendations to Congress by December 1, 2010.

Odintz is being detailed to the Commission from the Department of the Treasury, where he served as the Acting Tax Legislative Counsel. Odintz will return to the Office of Tax Policy once the Commission completes its work.

"We are thrilled to have Josh Odintz join our team," said Executive Director Bruce Reed. "This commission has been tasked with making the tough choices necessary to address our country's fiscal problems and Josh's skills and background will help us with that task."

Prior to joining the Department of the Treasury, Odintz was a tax counsel at the Senate Finance Committee, majority staff, from 2007 to July 2009. His portfolio included corporate tax, international tax, and the taxation of private equity and hedge funds. Before working in the U.S. Senate, Odintz was a partner in the tax department of the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Washington, D.C.

About the commission:

The bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform will make recommendations to Congress by December 1, 2010 to put the budget in primary balance so that all operations and programs for the federal government are paid for (achieving deficits of about three percent of GDP) by 2015 and to meaningfully improve the long-term fiscal outlook. President Obama has named six bipartisan appointees to the commission. The remaining 12 members of the commission are appointed by Senate and House leaders, including three each by the Republican and Democratic leaders of both chambers.