United States House Committee on Ways and Means - wikipedia United States House Committee on Ways and Means `` Ways and Means Committee '' redirects here. For the general concept, see Ways and means committee. Committee on Ways and Means 115th United States Congress Committee seal History Founded December 21, 1795 ( 1795 - 12 - 21 ) New session started January 3, 2017 ( 2017 - 01 - 03 ) Leadership Chairman Kevin Brady ( R ) Since November 5, 2015 Ranking member Richard Neal ( D ) Structure Seats 39 members Political groups Majority ( 24 ) Republican ( 24 ) Minority ( 15 ) Democratic ( 15 ) Website waysandmeans.house.gov This article is part of a series on the United States House of Representatives History of the United States House of Representatives Members Current members ( by seniority by age non-voting ) Former members Hill committees ( DCCC NRCC ) Congressional districts Speaker of the United States House of Representatives ( list ) Party leaders Democratic Caucus Republican Conference Politics and procedure Committee of the Whole Closed session ( list ) Saxbe fix Committees ( list ) Procedures Origination Clause Quorum call Unanimous consent Salaries Apportionment ( Huntington -- Hill method ) Redistricting Gerrymandering Articles of impeachment Self - executing rule Rules suspension General ticket Plural district Places United States Capitol House office buildings ( Cannon Ford Longworth Rayburn ) The Committee on Ways and Means is the chief tax - writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committee unless they apply for a waiver from their party 's congressional leadership. The Committee has jurisdiction over all taxation, tariffs, and other revenue - raising measures, as well as a number of other programs including : Social Security Unemployment benefits Medicare Enforcement of child support laws Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a federal welfare program Foster care and adoption programs The U.S. Constitution requires that all bills regarding taxation must originate in the House of Representatives. Since House procedure is that all bills regarding taxation must go through this committee, the committee is very influential, as is its Senate counterpart, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. Recent chairs have included Bill Thomas, Charlie Rangel, Sander Levin, and Dave Camp. On November 4, 2015 Representative Kevin Brady of Texas was chosen to succeed Representative Paul Ryan as chairman. Contents 1 History 2 Political significance 3 Members, 115th Congress 4 Subcommittees, 115th Congress 5 Chairman 6 See also 7 References 8 External links History The idea of a ways and means committee to handle the financial matters of a legislature is an old one, having been used in the British Parliament and the colonial and early state legislatures in America. The Committee was first established during the first Congress, in 1789. However, this initial version was disbanded after only 8 weeks ; for the next several years, only ad hoc committees were formed, to write up laws on notions already debated in the whole House. It was first established as a standing committee by resolution adopted December 21, 1795, and first appeared among the list of regular standing committees on January 7, 1802. Upon its original creation, it held power over both taxes and spending, until the spending power was given to the new Appropriations Committee in 1865. During the Civil War the key policy - maker in Congress was Thaddeus Stevens, as chairman of the Committee and Republican floor leader. He took charge of major legislation that funded the war effort and permanently transformed the nation 's economic policies regarding tariffs, bonds, income and excise taxes, national banks, suppression of money issued by state banks, greenback currency, and western railroad land grants. Stevens was one of the major policymakers regarding Reconstruction, and obtained a House vote of impeachment against President Andrew Johnson ( who was acquitted by the Senate in 1868 ). Hans Trefousse, his leading biographer, concludes that Stevens `` was one of the most influential representatives ever to serve in Congress. ( He dominated ) the House with his wit, knowledge of parliamentary law, and sheer willpower, even though he was often unable to prevail. '' Historiographical views of Stevens have dramatically shifted over the years, from the early 20th - century view of Stevens and the Radical Republicans as tools of big business and motivated by hatred of the white South, to the perspective of the neoabolitionists of the 1950s and afterwards, who applauded their efforts to give equal rights to the freed slaves. Three future presidents - James Polk, Millard Fillmore, and William McKinley - served as Committee Chairman. Before the official roles of floor leader came about in the late 19th century, the Chairman of Ways and Means was considered the Majority Leader. The Chairman is one of very few Representatives to have office space within the Capitol building itself. Political significance Because of its wide jurisdiction, Ways and Means has always been one of the most important committees with respect to impact on policy. Although it lacks the prospects for re-election help that comes with the Appropriations Committee, it is seen as a valuable post for two reasons. First, since its range is so broad, members with a wide array of policy concerns often seek positions, simply to be able to influence policy decisions. Some recent major issues that have gone through this committee include welfare reform, a Medicare prescription drug benefit, Social Security reform, George W. Bush 's tax cuts, and trade agreements including the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) and the Central America Free Trade Agreement ( CAFTA ). Second, given the wide array of interests that are affected by the committee, a seat makes it very easy to collect campaign contributions. Until 1974, the Ways and Means Committee decided which chairmanships newly elected members of Congress would have, along with its regular financial duties. When Ways and Means chair Wilbur Mills ' career ended in scandal, Congressman Phillip Burton transferred the committee 's selection powers to a separate, newly created committee. Members, 115th Congress Chairman Kevin Brady of Texas Majority Minority Republican Democratic Kevin Brady, Texas 's 8th, Chair Sam Johnson, Texas 's 3rd Devin Nunes, California 's 22nd Dave Reichert, Washington 's 8th Peter Roskam, Illinois 's 6th Vern Buchanan, Florida 's 16th Adrian Smith, Nebraska 's 3rd Lynn Jenkins, Kansas 's 2nd Erik Paulsen, Minnesota 's 3rd Kenny Marchant, Texas 's 24th Diane Black, Tennessee 's 6th Tom Reed, New York 's 23rd Mike Kelly, Pennsylvania 's 3rd Jim Renacci, Ohio 's 16th Pat Meehan, Pennsylvania 's 7th Kristi Noem, South Dakota 's at - large George Holding, North Carolina 's 2nd Jason T. Smith, Missouri 's 8th Tom Rice, South Carolina 's 7th David Schweikert, Arizona 's 6th Jackie Walorski, Indiana 's 2nd Carlos Curbelo, Florida 's 26th Mike Bishop, Michigan 's 8th Darin LaHood, Illinois 's 18th Richard Neal, Massachusetts 's 1st, Ranking Member Sander Levin, Michigan 's 9th, Former Chair John Lewis, Georgia 's 5th Lloyd Doggett, Texas 's 35th Mike Thompson, California 's 5th John B. Larson, Connecticut 's 1st Earl Blumenauer, Oregon 's 3rd Ron Kind, Wisconsin 's 3rd Bill Pascrell, New Jersey 's 9th Joseph Crowley, New York 's 14th Danny K. Davis, Illinois 's 7th Linda Sánchez, California 's 38th Brian Higgins, New York 's 26th, Vice Ranking Member Terri Sewell, Alabama 's 7th Suzan DelBene, Washington 's 1st Judy Chu, California 's 27th Resolutions electing members : H. Res. 6 ( Chair ) ; H. Res. 7 ( Ranking Member ) ; H. Res. 29, H. Res. 131, ( Republicans ) ; H. Res. 45, H. Res. 95 ( Democrats ). Subcommittees, 115th Congress There are six subcommittees in the 115th Congress. In 2011, the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support was renamed the Subcommittee on Human Resources, returning to the name it held prior to the 110th Congress. In 2015, the Select Revenue Measures was renamed the Subcommittee on Tax Policy. Subcommittee Chair Ranking Member Health Pat Tiberi ( R - OH ) Sander Levin ( D - MI ) Human Resources Adrian Smith ( R - NE ) Danny K. Davis ( D - IL ) Oversight Vern Buchanan ( R - FL ) John Lewis ( D - GA ) Tax Policy Peter Roskam ( R - IL ) Lloyd Doggett ( D - TX ) Social Security Sam Johnson ( R - TX ) John B. Larson ( D - CT ) Trade Dave Reichert ( R - WA ) Bill Pascrell ( D - NJ ) Chairman # Chair Party State Start of Service End of Service Thomas Fitzsimons Federalist PA 1789 1789 William L. Smith Federalist SC 1794 1797 Robert G. Harper Federalist SC 1797 1800 Roger Griswold Federalist CT 1800 1801 5 John Randolph Democratic - Republican VA 1801 1805 6 Joseph Clay Democratic - Republican PA 1805 1807 7 George W. Cambpell Democratic - Republican TN 1807 1809 8 John W. Eppes Democratic - Republican VA 1809 1811 9 Ezekiel Bacon Democratic - Republican SC 1811 1812 10 Langdon Cheves Democratic - Republican SC 1812 1813 11 John W. Eppes Democratic - Republican VA 1813 1815 12 William Lowndes Democratic - Republican SC 1815 1818 13 Samuel Smith Democratic - Republican MD 1818 1822 14 Louis McLane Democratic - Republican DE 1822 1827 15 John Randolph Democratic VA 1827 1827 16 George McDuffie Democratic SC 1827 1832 17 Gulian C. Verplanck Democratic NY 1832 1833 18 James K. Polk Democratic TN 1833 1835 19 Churchill C. Cambreleng Democratic NY 1835 1839 20 John W. Jones Democratic VA 1839 1841 21 Millard Fillmore Whig NY 1841 1843 22 James I. McKay Democratic NC 1843 1847 23 Samuel F. Vinton Whig OH 1847 1849 24 Thomas H. Bayly Democratic VA 1849 1851 25 George S. Houston Democratic AL 1851 1855 26 Lewis D. Campbell Republican OH 1856 1857 27 J. Glancy Jones Democratic PA 1857 1858 28 John S. Phelps Democratic MO 1858 1859 29 John Sherman Republican OH 1860 1861 30 Thaddeus Stevens Republican PA 1861 1865 31 Justin Morrill Republican VT 1865 1867 32 Robert C. Schenck Republican OH 1867 1871 33 Samuel Hooper Republican MA 1871 1871 34 Henry L. Dawes Republican MA 1871 1875 35 William R. Morrison Democratic IL 1875 1877 36 Fernando Wood Democratic NY 1877 1881 37 John R. Tucker Democratic VA 1881 1881 38 William D. Kelley Republican PA 1881 1883 39 William R. Morrison Democratic IL 1883 1887 40 Roger Q. Mills Democratic TX 1887 1889 41 William McKinley Republican OH 1889 1891 42 William M. Springer Democratic IL 1891 1893 43 William L. Wilson Democratic WV 1893 1895 44 Nelson Dingley, Jr. Republican ME 1895 1899 45 Sereno E. Payne Republican NY 1899 1911 46 Oscar W. Underwood Democratic AL 1911 1915 47 Claude Kitchin Democratic NC 1915 1919 48 Joseph Fordney Republican MI 1919 1923 49 William R. Green Republican IA 1923 1928 50 Willis C. Hawley Republican OR 1928 1931 51 James W. Collier Democratic MS 1931 1933 52 Robert L. Doughton Democratic NC 1933 1947 53 Harold Knutson Republican MN 1947 1949 54 Robert L. Doughton Democratic NC 1949 1953 55 Daniel A. Reed Republican NY 1953 1955 56 Jere Cooper Democratic TN 1955 1957 57 Wilbur Mills Democratic AR 1957 Al Ullman ( acting ) Democratic OR 1973 58 Al Ullman Democratic OR 1981 59 Dan Rostenkowski Democratic IL 1981 1994 Sam Gibbons ( acting ) Democratic FL 1994 1995 60 Bill Archer Republican TX 1995 2001 61 Bill Thomas Republican CA 2001 2007 62 Charles Rangel Democratic NY 2007 Pete Stark ( acting ) Democratic CA 63 Sander Levin ( acting ) Democratic MI 2011 64 Dave Camp Republican MI 2011 2015 65 Paul Ryan Republican WI 2015 2015 66 Kevin Brady Republican TX 2015 Present See also Government of the United States portal List of current United States House of Representatives committees References H. Doc. 100 - 244, The Committee on Ways and Means a Bicentennial History 1789 - 1989 Jump up ^ Ways and Means Bicentennial History, Page 38 Jump up ^ Ways and Means Bicentennial History, Page 58 Jump up ^ Heather Cox Richardson ( 1997 ). The Greatest Nation of the Earth : Republican Economic Policies During the Civil War. Harvard University Press. pp. 9, 41, 52, 111, 116, 120, 182, 202. Jump up ^ Hans L. Trefousse ( 1991 ). Historical Dictionary of Reconstruction. Greenwood. p. 214. Jump up ^ Grier, Kevin ; Munger, Michael ( 1991 ). `` Committee Assignments, Constituent Preferences and Campaign Contributions ''. Economic Inquiry. 29 ( 1 ) : 24 -- 43. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1465 - 7295.1991. tb01250. x. ^ Jump up to : Frum, David ( 2000 ). How We Got Here : The ' 70s. New York, New York : Basic Books. pp. 276 -- 279. ISBN 0 - 465 - 04195 - 7. Jump up ^ `` Chairman Camp Announces Republican Membership on Ways & Means Subcommittees for 113th Congress ''. January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2013 - 01 - 22. Jump up ^ `` Chairman Brady Announces Republican Subcommittee Chairs, Members ''. November 18, 2015. Retrieved 2015 - 11 - 18. External links Official Committee web site ( Archive ) House Ways and Means Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov. House Ways and Means Committee Hearings and Meetings Video. Congress.gov. Current United States congressional committees Senate ( list ) Aging ( Special ) Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Appropriations Armed Services Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Budget Commerce, Science, and Transportation Energy and Natural Resources Environment and Public Works Ethics ( Select ) Finance Foreign Relations Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Indian Affairs Intelligence ( Select ) Judiciary Narcotics ( Caucus ) Rules and Administration Small Business and Entrepreneurship Veterans ' Affairs House ( list ) Agriculture Appropriations Armed Services Budget Education and the Workforce Energy and Commerce Ethics Financial Services Foreign Affairs Homeland Security House Administration Intelligence ( Permanent Select ) Judiciary Natural Resources Oversight and Government Reform Rules Science, Space, and Technology Small Business Transportation and Infrastructure Veterans ' Affairs Ways and Means ( Whole ) Joint ( list ) Budget and Appropriations Process Reform ( Select ) Economic Inaugural Ceremonies ( Special ) Library Printing Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans ( Select ) Taxation ( Conference ) Standing committees, Defunct committees Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_House_Committee_on_Ways_and_Means&oldid=835934422 '' Categories : Committees of the United States House of Representatives 1789 establishments in the United States United States federal taxation legislation Hidden categories : Infobox legislature with background color All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch فارسی Simple English 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 11 April 2018, at 17 : 23. 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Question: what is the purpose of a ways and means committee
Answer: to handle the financial matters of a legislature