Committee Organizational Meeting

Committee on Ways and Means

2025-01-14

Loading video...

Source: Congress.gov

Summary

The organizational meeting of the 119th Congress for the Ways and Means Committee commenced with an emphasis on critical issues facing American taxpayers and the nation's economy[ 00:26:59-00:27:04 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. The agenda included the adoption of committee rules, the ratification of subcommittee slates, and the approval of the Oversight and Authorization Plan[ 00:32:32-00:32:47 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
[ 00:41:59-00:42:16 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
.

Themes

Committee Priorities for the 119th Congress

Chairman Jason T. Smith outlined several key priorities, including preventing tax increases on American families and businesses by making the Trump tax cuts permanent[ 00:27:24-00:27:58 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. The committee aims to combat unfair foreign trade practices, promote "Made in America" products, and reduce dependency on China[ 00:28:27-00:28:33 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Other focus areas include expanding patient access to healthcare, especially in rural communities, and championing vulnerable populations like children and seniors[ 00:28:37-00:28:45 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. The Chairman also stressed the committee's role in conducting aggressive investigations to protect taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse[ 00:29:45 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
.

Democratic Perspectives and Concerns

Ranking Member Richard E. Neal raised concerns about potentially conditioning aid for California wildfire victims on debt ceiling negotiations, urging for non-partisan support in times of crisis. He highlighted the Biden administration's economic achievements, such as significant job creation and legislative successes like the American Rescue Package and the Inflation Reduction Act. Neal also criticized what he perceived as a lack of bipartisanship from the previous Republican majority and advocated against an "extreme agenda" of "chaos, conspiracies, and cuts".

Committee Rules and Oversight Plan

The committee formally adopted its rules for the 119th Congress, which included a change allowing the Chair to consider member attendance alongside seniority for witness questioning[ 00:32:32-00:33:15 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Ranking Member Neal sought clarification to ensure this rule would not be used to bypass members based on their political alignment. The Oversight and Authorization Plan was also adopted, outlining the committee's commitment to government efficiency, robust oversight of the tax code, and accountability for federal agencies like the IRS, particularly in collaboration with the incoming Trump administration. Representative Davis commented on the naming of the "Work and Welfare" subcommittee, suggesting "family support" as a more appropriate term aligned with its mission.

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting had a distinctly purposeful and procedural tone, tempered by clear partisan differences in opening statements[ 00:26:53-00:27:04 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
[ 00:30:38-00:30:48 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Chairman Smith conveyed an assertive and optimistic outlook, emphasizing a new era of American prosperity and a pro-growth agenda in anticipation of the incoming Trump administration[ 00:27:14-00:27:20 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Conversely, Ranking Member Neal adopted a more cautious and critical stance, raising immediate concerns about partisan politicking on disaster aid and critiquing past Republican actions while championing Democratic achievements and calling for an avoidance of "extreme" policies[ 00:30:48-00:31:16 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Despite these divergent perspectives, the adoption of rules and the oversight plan proceeded with a professional and cooperative spirit, focusing on the mechanics of committee operations[ 00:32:32-00:32:47 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
[ 00:43:09-00:43:15 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
.

Participants

Transcript

This meeting will come to order.  Good morning and welcome everyone to the organizational meeting for the 119th Congress.  This Congress in particular comes at a very critical time for this committee and the American taxpayer.  In just six days, President Trump will take the oath of office and spark a new era of American prosperity.   The Ways and Means Committee will be central to delivering relief to Americans after four years of sky-high prices, high interest rates, and high uncertainty.  This committee has a responsibility to make sure taxes do not go up on over 200 million filers in this country.  Let's be clear.  If Congress does not act, tax rates go up on every single American family   regardless of income level.  The child tax credit would be cut in half.  The standard deduction cut in half.  The alternative minimum tax comes back to impact millions of families.  The death tax snaps back in and small businesses, small businesses will pay a 43% tax rate.  We have no time to waste.  This committee will also have a long list of priorities throughout our jurisdiction   to deliver on for the American people.  We will fight the unfair treatment by foreign governments of American farmers, workers, and businesses, and open the door for more made in America products to be sold around the world.  We will grow and make more of the things we need here in the United States, reducing our dependency on China and other adversaries.  We will expand patient access to the best healthcare,   especially for rural communities.  We will champion the most vulnerable in our society, including our children and seniors.  Our work for the future is built on this committee's success in the previous Congress.
We passed bipartisan tax legislation 40 to three in this committee, and then passed the bill with 82% support on the House floor.  It's been about a decade since that last happened.   First in a generation bipartisan child welfare reform advanced by this committee became law.  It gave children in tough circumstances a greater chance of living in a safe, stable home and helping parents and other caregivers give the resources they need to care for their kids.  We advanced pro-patient, pro-innovation health care policies to enhance access to quality care in every part of the country.   We reasserted Congress's authority over trade, including greenlighting a trade agreement with Taiwan.  Tomorrow, the House will take the next step and approve legislation that gives American workers and businesses fair tax treatment with Taiwan in our effort to boost American manufacturing jobs and the production of critical technologies like semiconductors while reducing our dependency on China.   That was just the start.  Our oversight agenda fought abuses of the tax code wherever present.  After the October 7th attack by Hamas terrorists on the people of Israel, this committee conducted an investigation for months and developed legislation that ensures the tax code does not subsidize anti-Semitism at home and terrorism abroad.   As laid out in the oversight plan we will mark up later, we will continue aggressive investigations on behalf of all taxpayers to protect their hard-earned dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse.  In all our work, we listened to the workers, the families, the farmers, and small businesses of America.  We held 14 hearings all around the country to hear from folks in their communities, Republican tax teams,
picked up the baton and crisscrossed the country too, holding over 120 listening sessions in 20 states to hear directly from Americans about how we can build on the Trump tax cuts.  In this Congress, we will continue to put the concerns of America's working class first.  The people who wake up, go to work, and come home to take care of their families and neighbors every day in communities across the country.   These people will continue to be our top priority at the Ways and Means Committee.  The Ways and Means Committee truly is the best, most important committee in Congress.  There is not a single American who's not affected by the work that we do at this dais.  Our responsibilities are spelled out in the Constitution and the history of this committee since its start in 1789   It tracks, tracks the history of America.  The framers gave the house of representatives, the power to originate revenue bills in order to ensure greater power for the people over how they are taxed.  It is the responsibility of this committee to protect that constitutional right for the house on behalf of the American people.  And it is only as chairman, I do not take lightly today.   Members of this committee, both Republicans and Democrats, represent the best that Congress has to offer.  These colleagues are tireless in finding ways to improve the lives of those that they represent and all Americans.  To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, Republicans will work with you to achieve bipartisan wins when possible.  We have a big responsibility to tackle the equally big challenges facing our fellow Americans.

Sign up for free to see the full transcript

Accounts help us prevent bots from abusing our site. Accounts are free and will allow you to access the full transcript.

Sign up