Rep. Jason Smith Picked to Lead House Ways and Means Committee

In a three-horse race to become the next chairman of the powerful tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) came out on top.

Smith, 42, has represented Missouri’s 8th congressional district since 2013. He was competing for the chairmanship with Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Adrian Smith (R-NE), according to The Hill:

Adrian Smith was the lowest vote-getter on the first ballot, and the panel went to a second round of voting to decide between Buchanan and Jason Smith, Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) confirmed.

Jason Smith is a close McCarthy ally and had been in negotiations last week to strike a deal with the hardline conservatives for Speaker. He opted against a potential run for Senate in the 2022 cycle as he announced a bid for the powerful chairmanship.

In a statement, Smith, who according to Roll Call will become the youngest-ever chairman of Ways and Means, called it “deeply humbling and an honor to be selected by my colleagues to serve as the next chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.”

His statement went on to say:

“Ways and Means Republicans will build an economy that is strong by prioritizing our most valuable economic resource, the American worker. We will build on the success of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and examine how our policies can reward working families with a tax code that delivers better jobs, higher wages, and more investment in America. We must also examine whether it is in the best interests of the American people to continue showering tax benefits on corporations that have shed their American identity in favor of a relationship with China.

“We will examine using both trade policy and our tax code to re-shore and strengthen our supply chains, where products and services vital to our national security are made here at home using American labor, as well as craft policies that help America achieve food and medical security rather than dependence on nations like China. We must also look at ways to encourage domestic energy production and achieve energy independence through the tax code instead of using it as a tool to punish energy producers as President Biden has suggested.

“Domestically, we cannot expect our labor force to recover if Congress makes work less valuable than a government check, as Democrats did when they dismantled the Child Tax Credit in 2021. We must provide an on-ramp for able-bodied adults to transition into the workforce, and we must also take seriously our responsibility to create the economic conditions that allow them to thrive upon reentry.

“The American people can rest assured that help is on the way. It’s time to get to work.”

Adrian Smith congratulated Jason Smith in a statement and thanked his colleagues and his families for their support, according to The Hill.