United States House Committee on Ways and Means facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Committee on Ways and Means |
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| 116th United States Congress | |
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Committee seal
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| History | |
| Founded | December 21, 1795 |
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New session started
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January 3, 2019 |
| Leadership | |
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Chairman
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Ranking member
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Kevin Brady (R)
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| Structure | |
| Seats | 39 members |
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Political groups
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Majority (24)
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The Committee on Ways and Means is a very important group in the United States House of Representatives. It is the main committee that writes laws about taxes. This means they decide how the government collects money from people and businesses.
Members of this committee usually do not serve on other House committees. They need special permission from their party's leaders to do so. This rule helps them focus completely on their important work.
What the Committee Does
The U.S. Constitution says that all new laws about taxes must start in the House of Representatives. Because of this rule, the Committee on Ways and Means is very powerful. It makes sure all tax bills go through them first.
This committee is similar to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. Both committees play a big role in how the country's money is managed.
Leaders of the Committee
Many different people have led the Committee on Ways and Means over the years. Some recent leaders include William Reynolds Archer Jr., Bill Thomas, Charles Rangel, Sander Levin, and Dave Camp.
On November 4, 2015, Representative Kevin Brady from Texas became the chairman. He took over from Representative Paul Ryan. The chairman is the main leader of the committee.
Images for kids
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Inside a Ways and Means meeting in November 2019.
