United States House Committee on Ways and Means

The Committee on Ways and Means (literally "middle - and -Way Committee " ) is a committee of the House of Representatives of the United States. His very broad jurisdiction extends not only to the fiscal, financial and fiscal policies, but also on the social security systems and some family policy issues.

History

The Committee on Ways and Means has been around since 1789 and is the longest existing standing committee of the House of Representatives. The basic idea is, however, still older, in the English Parliament (later the British Parliament ), there was 1641-1967 a Committee of Ways and Means.

Importance

The number of committee members is more than 40, which suggests the importance of this Committee. For comparison, in the German Bundestag at least the Finance Committee, the Budget Committee and the Committee would be responsible for Health and Social Security for this range of topics.

The Chairman ( chairman ) of the Board is considered one of the most powerful members of Congress. He (or she ) has an office right in the Capitolsgebäude to, a privilege which belongs only to six other members: the Speaker of the House, the leaders and whips of the majority and the minority faction as well as the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

Eight former presidents were before their term of office chairman of the committee, including James K. Polk, Millard Fillmore and William McKinley and eight Vice - Presidents, 21 Speaker of the House and four judges of the Supreme Court ( Bundesgerichtshof ).

Tasks

According to the Constitution of the United States House of Representatives for all bills ( bills ) in the area of tax policy responsibility. The Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives in turn specifies that all such bills need the Ways and Means Committee passed. This this Committee is immense power and importance, especially when compared to its counterpart in the Senate, the Committee on Finance.

Particulars

Current chairman is Rep. David Lee Camp from Michigan. Highest-ranking Democrat in the committee is also originally from Michigan Sander M. Levin.

Subcommittees

There are currently six subcommittees of the Committee:

  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Human Resources
  • Subcommittee on Oversight
  • Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures
  • Subcommittee on Social Security
  • Subcommittee on Trade
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