House GOP Works to Restore Reputation of Ways and Means

The Ways and Means Committee was arguably the House’s strongest panel until it was laid low by the lengthy ethics investigation of former Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. But now Republicans are working to re-establish the committee’s luster, The Hill reports.

Rep. Charles Rangel

“Under new Republican leadership, lawmakers expect Ways and Means to get back on track and reestablish the panel's power by holding hearings, conducting oversight and crafting legislation on a broad range of issues, including a federal tax code overhaul, completing pending free trade agreements and repealing provisions of the healthcare law,” the news service states.

Ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took power away from the panel. But "that's going to change under [Ways and Means Chairman] Dave Camp [R-Mich.], because he's going to be a very strong leader and under [Speaker] John Boehner because he respects the expertise of the committee," panel member Kevin Brady, R-Texas, third seniority on the panel behind Camp, tells The Hill. "I see jurisdiction being restored and defended very strongly and very aggressively."