WASHINGTON (AP) _ A panel of top House Republicans has endorsed Texas GOP Rep. Kevin Brady to chair the influential Ways and Means committee.
Wednesday’s secret ballot by the House Republican Steering Committee makes him the favorite to succeed Paul Ryan to head Ways and Means. All 246 House Republicans meet Thursday to formally elect a chairman.
Brady has been competing for the post with Ohio GOP Rep. Pat Tiberi. Brady has been in Congress 10 terms, Tiberi eight, and both men are considered pro-business conservatives.
Ryan, the Wisconsin Republican, is now speaker. The speaker usually dominates the Steering Committee, and its closed-door decisions are often viewed as reflecting his preferences.
Ways and Means is one of Congress’ most powerful committees. It oversees taxes, trade, Social Security, welfare and many health programs.
Statement released by Congressman Kevin Brady of The Woodlands, who used to represent Brazos County:
U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, (R-TX) released the following statement today after being selected chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee by the GOP steering committee. With approval of the full Republican conference Thursday, Brady will follow now-Speaker Paul Ryan as leader of the oldest committee of the United States Congress and the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. Brady, a ten-term member from The Woodlands, Texas, has led two of the committee’s key panels – Health and Trade – and is the top House Republican on the Joint Economic Committee.
“I’m honored to lead this talented committee because House Republicans and Speaker Paul Ryan are advancing a pro-growth agenda to get this country back on track. This includes taking real steps toward fixing this broken tax code, reforming welfare, saving Social Security and Medicare for the long term and enlarging America’s economic freedom to trade.
We have a lot of work to do, and it won’t happen overnight for this reason: While many of these solutions originate in the Ways and Means Committee, I intend to seek the ideas and active engagement of our Republican Conference. Big challenges require big effort from all of us.
I also commend my friend Pat Tiberi on his very competitive race. Pat is a deeply talented and respected leader, and our committee will continue to rely on his guidance as we move our pro-growth agenda forward.”