The Leadership Connect team has created a “House Flip” series analyzing congressional committee Ranking Members, their key staff, and who may become committee Chairs since Republicans have taken the House for the 118th Congress
All Reelected Ranking Members Became Committee Chairs in the Last House Flip
Committee on Ways and Means
Chair Richard E. Neal (D-MA, 1) → Member Vernon G. “Vern” Buchanan (R-FL, 16)
Ranking Member Kevin P. Brady (R-TX, 8) is retiring, so the next Republican by rank (seniority) is Vern Buchanan.
If Vern Buchanan becomes committee chair, he would vacate his role leading the Subcommittee on Health, so that could be filled by Adrian Smith (R-NE, 3) who just won his ninth term.
If you need to work with this committee and track legislation, use Leadership Connect to develop relationships with the most influential people. Start off by seeing what bills may be introduced, who would be responsible for the text, and how you can connect with them.
The current committee Staff Director Gary Andres has had a long and storied career, including time at law firms, corporations, associations, and the Bush Administration. He even wrote a book, Lobbying Reconsidered.
Update: Jason Smith (R-MO, 8) is now the Ways and Means chair
Smith is now the youngest chair in the committee’s history. In the previous Congress he was ranking member of the House Budget Committee.
He has strong private sector relationships from his time in Congress, membership in the NRA, and serving on the board of trustees for the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
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