The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“NOTICES OF HEARINGS” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Senate section on pages S2252-S2253 on Feb. 12, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
NOTICES OF HEARINGS
Committee on small business and entrepreneurship
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I would like to inform Members that the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will meet in the Reception room, immediately off the Floor to conduct a vote on the Committee's budget and rules for the 111th Congress. The Committee will meet immediately after the first roll call vote occurring on Thursday, February 12, 2009.
PERMANENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing entitled, ``Tax Haven Banks and U.S. Tax Compliance--Obtaining the Names of U.S. Clients with Swiss Accounts.'' This hearing will continue the Subcommittee's examination of financial institutions which are located in offshore tax havens and which use practices that facilitate tax evasion and other misconduct by U.S. clients. One of the banks featured in a July 2008 hearing on this topic is UBS, a major financial institution headquartered in Switzerland. The hearing will examine issues related to a John Doe summons served by the IRS on UBS seeking the names of U.S. clients with UBS Swiss accounts that have not been disclosed to the IRS. In July, UBS representatives estimated that about 19,000 U.S. clients had about $18 billion in assets in such Swiss accounts. UBS stated at the July 2008 hearing that it would cooperate with the IRS summons, but to date virtually none of the requested information has been provided to either the IRS or the U.S. Department of Justice which is also examining the matter. The hearing will examine the status of the information exchange, the role of U.S.-Swiss tax and legal assistance treaties, and the effect of Swiss secrecy laws on the information requests. A witness list will be available Friday, February 20, 2009.
The Subcommittee hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, 2009, at 10:00 a.m., in room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. For further information, please contact Elise Bean of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations at 202-224-9505.
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