Cong. Kind Appointed to Ways and Means Committee Higher
Cong. Kind Appointed to Ways and Means Committee Higher
The Democratic House Leadership announced today that U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) will serve on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee effective at the start of the 110 th Congress. Rep. Kind will be the only Democrat from Wisconsin serving on the committee. Kind also recently solidified his leadership roles for the next Congress, including Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and Co-Vice Chair of the 63-member New Democrat Coalition.
"It is a tremendous honor to be appointed to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee in the new Democratic majority," said Rep. Ron Kind. "I look forward to working with our Chairman, Congressman Charles Rangel, Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and the other distinguished members of the Committee to advance progressive, common sense policies to address the very serious challenges before us."
The Ways and Means Committee possesses jurisdiction over all taxation, tariffs, and other revenue-raising measures, as well as a number of other programs, including Social Security, Medicare, unemployment benefits, child and family support laws, and adoption and foster care programs. Among the many issues Kind said he hopes to tackle on the committee include making college more affordable, promoting rural health, and advocating for tax fairness.
"The Ways and Means Committee is the perfect venue for me to advance my work on higher education and rural health care, in addition to other critical issues important to my constituents in Wisconsin's Third Congressional District," stated Kind. "There is no greater honor than to be given an opportunity such as this to work on a committee where I can represent and advocate for the interests of western Wisconsin on such a broad range of issues."
Ways and Means is one of five exclusive House committees for which membership on other committees is prohibited. Upon receiving the Ways and Means appointment, Rep. Kind must relinquish his currently held committee seats on the House Education and the Workforce, Resources, and Budget Committees.
http://www.house.gov/kind/Ways_Means.shtml