There are at least 10 Republicans vying for eight possible seats on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee in the next Congress if Republicans take over the majority in the House as expected.
There are currently 17 Republicans on the panel, which oversees taxes, trade, health care, Social Security, and social services programs, but a majority win could boost Republican members to 25 versus 18 for the minority party.
Republicans have yet to replace Indiana Representative Jackie Walorski, who died in a car accident in August. Current Minority Leader Kevin Brady, Republican from Texas, is retiring and South Carolinian Tom Rice lost his primary, leaving six remaining openings. Representatives Vern Buchanan of Florida, Adrian Smith of Nebraska, and Jason Smith of Missouri are all angling for the Chairmanship, which is chosen by the Republican Steering Committee.
GOP Representatives Mike Carey of Ohio, Blake D. Moore of Utah, Greg Steube of Florida, Beth Van Duyne of Texas, and Claudia Tenney of New York are also looking to get seats on Ways and Means, aides to the lawmakers confirmed. Other representatives also seeking spots include Iowan Randy Feenstra, Michelle Fischbach, of Minnesota, California’s Michelle Steel, New York’s Nicole Malliotakis, and William R. Timmons IV of South Carolina.
Buchanan, a leading candidate for Chairman, recently introduced the TCJA Permanency Act, legislation to make permanent 23 different tax cuts for individuals and small businesses originally enacted as part of the 2017 Republican tax law. “Today, as we look forward to the strong probability of an upcoming recession, there is new urgency to preserve these pro-growth policies,” said Buchanan in a press release.
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