Ill. rep named new chairman for House tax-policy subcommittee

Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) will be the new chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee’s tax-policy subcommittee, taking the reins of the panel as congressional Republicans aim to pass tax-reform legislation this year. 

Roskam will succeed former Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.), who unsuccessfully ran for a Senate seat. He previously served as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee’s oversight panel.

{mosads}Roskam and the other chairmen of the Ways and Means subcommittees were announced Friday by committee chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas). Brady also revealed the subcommittee assignments for each of the panel’s Republican members.

“Each of our subcommittees will play an integral role as we advance President-elect Trump’s and the American people’s top priorities,” Brady said in a statement. “Our new subcommittee assignments reflect the broad range of experience our Members bring to Ways and Means. Whether they previously worked as a CPA, nurse, or small business owner, each Member has a unique perspective on how to deliver real solutions to the American people.” 

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) will succeed Roskam as chairman of the Ways and Means oversight subcommittee. Buchanan had previously served as chairman of the human resources subcommittee, which will now be led by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.).

Reps. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio), Sam Johnson (R-Texas) and Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) will remain the chairmen of the Ways and Means Committee’s health, Social Security and trade panels, respectively. Johnson announced Friday that he will retire from Congress at the end of 2018.