WASHINGTON - Today, House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) announced the formation of 11 separate Ways and Means Tax Reform Working Groups.
The groups will be led by one Republican and one Democratic Member. Together, each of the 11 groups will review current law in its designated issue area and then identify, research and compile feedback related to the topic of the working group. The working groups will be responsible for compiling feedback on its the designated topic from: (1) stakeholders, (2) academics and think tanks, (3) practitioners, (4) the general public and (5) colleagues in the House of Representatives. Once the work of those groups have been completed, the Joint Committee on taxation will prepare a report for the Full Committee, due by April 15, 2013, that describes current law in each issue area and summarizes the other information gathered by the Committee members.
LEVIN: "Tax reform must build on a full understanding of present provisions as a path to a simpler, fairer and adequate tax code. These working groups provide a framework to undertake in-depth fact-finding on a variety of important issues related to tax reform."
CAMP: ““I am pleased to be working collaboratively with Ranking Member Levin and all of our Committee Members as we continue our efforts to fix our broken tax code. Regardless of party or politics, everyone can agree that comprehensive tax reform should result in a simpler, fairer tax code for families and more jobs for American workers. In addition to Committee hearings, these working groups will be one more way for the Committee to gather the necessary information to produce the best possible legislation."
The 11 working groups and their respective Chair and Ranking Member are listed below (in alphabetical order).
Charitable/Exempt Organizations
David Reichert (R-WA)
John Lewis (D-GA)
Debt, Equity and Capital
Kenny Marchant (R-TX)
Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Education and Family Benefits
Diane Black (R-TN)
Danny Davis (D-IL)
Energy
Kevin Brady (R-TX)
Mike Thompson (D-CA)
Financial Services
Adrian Smith (R-NE)
John Larson (D-CT)
Income and Tax Distribution
Lynn Jenkins (R-KS)
Joseph Crowley (D-NY)
International
Devin Nunes (R-CA)
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
Manufacturing
Jim Gerlach (R-PA)
Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
Pensions/Retirement
Pat Tiberi (R-OH)
Ron Kind (D-WI)
Real Estate
Sam Johnson (R-TX)
Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ)
Small Business/Pass Throughs
Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
Allyson Schwartz (D-PA)
