Ryan, Kelly Receive Congressional Committee Assignments

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is again slated to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, on which he will chair the subcommittee that has oversight over the legislative branch.

Ryan’s office announced Wednesday that his fellow House Democrats chose him to serve as chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, which controls funding of the legislative branch subcommittee of the U.S. government.

In addition, the office of U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16 Pa., announced he would serve as ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on Oversight, the lead Republican on the panel.

Ryan, D-13 Ohio, will continue to serve on the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, where he will remain its third-most senior Democrat, and the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Ryan’s selection as chairman and his subcommittee assignments are contingent upon ratification by the House Steering and Policy Committee as well as the House Democratic Caucus, according to the release.

Ryan said he was honored to have the faith and trust of his fellow Democrats to be selected to serve as chairman of the powerful subcommittee, and that he looks forward to working with Democrats and Republicans on projects and policies to create jobs and grow the economy.

“Over the past three weeks, we’ve all seen how critical it is for departments and agencies of the federal government to remain funded,” he said. “As chairman of this important subcommittee, it’s my goal and responsibility to ensure the U.S. House of Representatives and the entire legislative branch have the resources we need to best serve the American people.”

As chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, Ryan would oversee a budget of $3.81 billion. The subcommittee’s jurisdiction includes control of spending by the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressional Budget Office, Library of Congress, Government Accountability Office and U.S. Capitol Police.   

The Defense Subcommittee controls $674 billion in spending and funds the U.S. Department of Defense, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence agencies.

Kelly said he was “enormously honored” to be named ranking member on the Oversight Subcommittee.

“During the last Congress, our full committee made history with the passage and enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which has successfully revived our economy, driven down unemployment to record lows and put more money back in every hardworking taxpayer’s pocket,” he said. “I look forward to working with ranking member [U.S. Rep. Kevin] Brady and the rest of my colleagues to preserve and strengthen this monumental law while making sure it’s being implemented the right way.”

Kelly added that he intends to hold the Internal Revenue Service “fully accountable for its practices and its treatment of the American people, along with that of every other federal agency in our jurisdiction.”

The Oversight Subcommittee works with the full Ways and Means Committee and its other subcommittees to determine whether the laws within its jurisdiction – including select revenue measures, trade, health, worker and family support, and Social Security laws – are being implemented and carried out efficiently and with congressional intent.

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