Mike Carey

The Committee on Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. The Committee derives a large share of its jurisdiction from Article I, Section VII of the U.S. Constitution, which declares, “All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.” The committee has jurisdiction over revenue and related issues such as tariffs, reciprocal trade agreements, and the bonded debt of the United States. It also oversees revenue-related aspects of the Social Security system, Medicare, and social services programs.

The House Committee on the Budget is responsible for drafting a concurrent resolution on the budget for congressional action on spending, revenue, and debt-limit legislation. The Budget Resolution must be jointly agreed to by both the House and the Senate, but does not need to be signed by the President. The Committee is also responsible for enforcing the Budget Resolution by informing representatives of violations to the budget, and by working with other committees, such as the Committee on Appropriations, to prevent potential violations.

The Committee on House Administration has legislative jurisdiction over the federal elections and the day-to-day operations of the House. The Committee's jurisdiction over federal elections requires it to consider proposals to amend federal election law and to monitor congressional elections across the United States. The Committee also sets budget authorizations for expenses of other House committees and members of Congress. It also oversees several federal organizations such as the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institution.