The House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday completed a subcommittee shuffle that was needed after Rep. Paul Ryan left the chairmanship for the speaker’s office.
New Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) announced the changes that includes adding Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) and adjusts the names and sizes of several subcommittees.
{mosads}”These Republican subcommittee chairs and members will play a crucial role in taking real steps toward fixing our country’s broken tax code, reining in the IRS, reforming the nation’s welfare programs, expanding trade, replacing the Affordable Care Act and saving Social Security and Medicare for the long term,” Brady said in a statement.
Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) will lead the tax policy subcommittee moving from the human resources panel with tax reform topping the agenda of Ryan and Brady.
“Under my leadership, the tax policy subcommittee will look for ways to stop driving American businesses away from our shores, stop harming the very small businesses that are the economic engines of our recovery, and stop the gross overreach into pocketbooks of families who are struggling to put food on the table,” Boustany said.
In his vision for the committee, Brady said earlier on Wednesday that “over the coming months we are going to take real steps toward fixing our broken tax code by examining and engaging the ideas and energy of every House member who wishes to be heard.”
“America needs a simpler, fairer, flatter tax code that’s built for growth ‚ the growth of our family’s paychecks, the growth of our local businesses, and the economic growth of our nation.”
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) takes over for Boustany on human resources.
Washington Republican Rep. Dave Reichert moves over to the trade slot vacated by Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio), who helped guide trade promotion authority through Congress this summer.
The committee is overseeing the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was completed Oct. 5. Lawmakers are poring over the text of the massive agreement, which was released earlier this month.
Tiberi lands the chairmanship of the influential health panel, replacing Brady who edged out the Ohio Republican in the race to lead the committee.
Tiberi wasted no time in taking aim at the healthcare law.
“As chairman, I plan to work with my colleagues to dismantle detrimental policies in ObamaCare and reduce the impact on seniors, patients, employers, and providers,” Tiberi said.
Tiberi has repeatedly voted to repeal ObamaCare and has specifically attacked the medical device and Cadillac taxes.
He pledged to make Medicare “more efficient and effective,” focusing on a policy area that Brady has already said he will prioritize as chairman.
Brady, who had served as health subcommittee chairman since 2013, is ramping up efforts to overhaul Medicare.
Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) remains head of the Subcommittee on Social Security and Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) stays on to lead the oversight subcommittee.
The committee increased the size of the health subcommittee by one Republican and one Democrat; renamed the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures as the Subcommittee on Tax Policy; and increased the size of the tax policy panel by two Republicans and one Democrat.