Newly elected House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, a Missouri republican unveiled on January 11 the new Republican members to his committee including a record number of six women and Representatives from high tax states. The Republican women on the committee reflect the most since four were on the committee in the 115th Congress.
Republican Reps. Claudia Tenney of New York, Michelle Steel of California, Mike Carey of Ohio, Blake Moore of Utah, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Beth Van Duyne of Texas, Randy Feenstra of Iowa, Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota, Greg Steube of Florida, and Nicole Malliotakis of New York will be the newest members of Ways and Means, according to Smith’s office.
“Ways and Means Republicans are ready to get to work delivering on our commitment to build a stronger economy that gives the American people greater opportunity to build a prosperous future for themselves and their families,” said Smith in a statement. “We will prioritize our most valuable economic resource, the American worker, by working to ensure a tax code that supports the millions of working-class families who are struggling in the Biden economy.”
The majority party typically has 25 members on the tax writing committee while the minority party this time around, the Democrats, will be limited to 18. Republicans had lost members from California, New York and Indiana in 2022 and replaced them with lawmakers from other states during the 117th Congress. Additional exits meant openings from Texas and South Carolina. Republicans from those states—such as California’s Steel, New York’s Tenney and Malliotakis, and Texas’ Van Duyne will help fill those gaps.
Carey said in an interview before new members were announced that Ohio has typically had two representatives on the Republicans’ Ways and Means roster and that adding representation is critical now with the retirement of Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who held a seat on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee. “I’ve followed Ways and Means for many, many years,” Carey said. “I know how important it is to not only the state of Ohio but for our region.”
Tenney emphasizes her background as a longtime small-business owner, according to a statement from her spokesperson. She has been an owner and worker for a family commercial printing and manufacturing business and launched a newspaper group. Timmons also has a background in small business, owning a gym and yoga studio.
Some of the new members have experience overseeing taxes. Examples are Feenstra, who was a tax writer in the Iowa Senate, and Steel, who served on California’s State Board of Equalization, which administers tax and fee programs.
The Republican women on the committee reflect the most since four were on the committee in the 115th Congress.
Republican Reps. Claudia Tenney of New York, Michelle Steel of California, Mike Carey of Ohio, Blake Moore of Utah, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Beth Van Duyne of Texas, Randy Feenstra of Iowa, Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota, Greg Steube of Florida, and Nicole Malliotakis of New York will be the newest members of Ways and Means, according to Smith’s office.
“Ways and Means Republicans are ready to get to work delivering on our commitment to build a stronger economy that gives the American people greater opportunity to build a prosperous future for themselves and their families,” said Smith in a statement. “We will prioritize our most valuable economic resource, the American worker, by working to ensure a tax code that supports the millions of working-class families who are struggling in the Biden economy.”
The majority party typically has 25 members on the tax writing committee while the minority party this time around, the Democrats, will be limited to 18. Republicans had lost members from California, New York and Indiana in 2022 and replaced them with lawmakers from other states during the 117th Congress. Additional exits meant openings from Texas and South Carolina. Republicans from those states—such as California’s Steel, New York’s Tenney and Malliotakis, and Texas’ Van Duyne will help fill those gaps.
Carey said in an interview before new members were announced that Ohio has typically had two representatives on the Republicans’ Ways and Means roster and that adding representation is critical now with the retirement of Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who held a seat on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee. “I’ve followed Ways and Means for many, many years,” Carey said. “I know how important it is to not only the state of Ohio but for our region.”
Tenney emphasizes her background as a longtime small-business owner, according to a statement from her spokesperson. She has been an owner and worker for a family commercial printing and manufacturing business and launched a newspaper group. Timmons also has a background in small business, owning a gym and yoga studio.
Some of the new members have experience overseeing taxes. Examples are Feenstra, who was a tax writer in the Iowa Senate, and Steel, who served on California’s State Board of Equalization, which administers tax and fee programs.
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