Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after accepting a seat on the House Committee on Ways and Means.

“I am honored to join some of Congress’ brightest minds on its most historic and powerful committee,” said Rep. Hern. “Ways and Means controls tax and trade issues, which are incredibly important to the people of Oklahoma. It’s been 20 years since an Oklahoman sat on Ways and Means; I am proud to represent our state and advocate for our people in this new role.

“After building a career in business, serving several years on the McDonald’s National Leadership Team, and now serving in Congress, I’ve spent time on both sides of the issues Ways and Means deals with every day. I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of federal regulations and restrictive tax codes, so I believe I can be a unique voice to provide the business owner perspective on Ways and Means.”

Rep. Hern continued, “Ranking Member Brady was at the helm of the mission to update and modernize the tax code in 2017 with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as negotiating a new trade deal with the USMCA in 2019. His leadership has impacted every American for the better. I look forward to serving alongside him and the many hardworking members of the Ways and Means Committee.”

Ways and Means Ranking Member Kevin Brady said, “Congress’s most senior and powerful Committee welcomes three outstanding new Committee Members who know first-hand how American families and Main Street businesses make our economy grow. Rep. Kevin Hern is a highly successful entrepreneur in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [He brings] valuable Main Street experience and knowledge to our GOP fight to help America defeat the virus, grow America’s economy, lower health care costs, sell more Made-in-America products throughout the world, and save Social Security and Medicare once and for all. I’m confident that these Members will rise to the occasion to help our economy rebuild from this pandemic.”

Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-16) and Rep. Carol Miller (WV-03) also join Rep. Hern as new Republican members of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Background Information

The Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest committee of the United States Congress and is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. The Committee derives a large share of its jurisdiction from Article I, Section VII of the U.S. Constitution which declares, “All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.”

First established as a select committee on July 24, 1789, it was discharged less than two months later. The committee was reappointed from the first session of the Fourth Congress in 1795, and was formally listed as a standing committee in the House Rules on January 7, 1802.

Until 1865, the jurisdiction of the committee (referred to as the Committee of Ways and Means before 1880) included the critically important areas of revenue, appropriations, and banking. Since 1865, the committee has continued to exercise jurisdiction over revenue and related issues such as tariffs, reciprocal trade agreements, and the bonded debt of the United States. Revenue-related aspects of the Social Security system, Medicare, and social services programs have come within Ways and Means’ purview in the 20th century.

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