Oklahoma Congressman Kevin Hern is named to the House Ways and Means Committee, thereby surrendering his membership on other committees including the Natural Resources Committee.
Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committee unless they are granted a waiver from their party’s congressional leadership. Ways and Means is the oldest committee in Congress and considered one of the most powerful committees in the House and controls the tax-writing process.
“I am honored to join some of Congress’ brightest minds on its most historic and powerful committee,” said Rep. Hern in a statement.
“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, ” he added. ‘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.”
Texas congressman Kevin Brady is the ranking Republican on the Democrat-controlled committee and said Hern is one of three new GOP members to the committee.
“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.”
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. Hern had previously been a member of the House Small Business Committee, Natural Resources Committee and the Budget Committee.
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.
Rep. Hern is still a member of at least 24 caucuses including the House Energy Action Team and was chairman of the Budget and Spending Task Force.
