Republicans delivered their major tax-and-spending cut bill this year faster than almost anyone in Washington had expected — and instrumental in that whirlwind process was House Ways and Means Committee chief tax counsel Sean Clerget.

Clerget described the work as combining technical tax knowledge with interpersonal skills, and he credited committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) with bringing the conference together to ensure all members had a hand in producing it.

“He wanted........

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