Representative John B. Larson
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Committees form an important feature for both the House of Representatives and the Senate.  Committee members process legislation and specialize in issues that are related to the committees’ focus.   Bills which originate in committees are either tabled or approved after testimony is presented.  Once testimony has been heard most bills must be revised in committee “markup” sessions.  In this “markup” session, committee members debate sections of the measure and propose amendments.  When a majority of the committee's members vote approval of the revised bill, the bill then goes to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

Congressman Larson served on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Science Committee during the 106th through 108th Congresses.  He also served as Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration during the 108th Congress.  He was selected to serve on the exclusive Ways and Means Committee at the start of the 109th Congress.

The Ways and Means Committee: The House Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest standing committee in Congress. It was created in 1789 and has jurisdiction over legislation, methods, and means of raising revenue for the use of the government.  In addition to legislating, the Committee exercises broad oversight authority over economic policy, international trade, welfare, Social Security, Medicare and health care policy.  The two previous representatives of the First Congressional District also served on the Ways and Means Committee: William Cotter and Barbara B. Kennelly.

Subcommittees

Trade: The jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Trade shall include bills and matters referred to the Committee on Ways and Means that relate to customs and customs administration including tariff and import fee structure, classification, valuation of and special rules applying to imports, and special tariff provisions and procedures which relate to customs operation affecting exports and imports; import trade matters, including import impact, industry relief from injurious imports, adjustment assistance and programs to encourage competitive responses to imports, unfair import practices including antidumping and countervailing duty provisions, and import policy which relates to dependence on foreign sources of supply; commodity agreements and reciprocal trade agreements including multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations and implementation of agreements involving tariff and nontariff trade barriers to and distortions of international trade; international rules, organizations and institutional aspects of international trade agreements; budget authorizations for the U.S. Customs Service, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and the U.S. Trade Representative; and special trade-related problems involving market access, competitive conditions of specific industries, export policy and promotion, access to materials in short supply, bilateral trade relations including trade with developing countries, operations of multinational corporations, and trade with nonmarket economies.

Source: “Manual of Rules of the Committee on Ways and Means for the One Hundred Eighth Congress,” WMCP: 108-1.

Select Revenue Measures: The jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures shall consist of those revenue measures that, from time to time, shall be referred to it specifically by the Chairman of the full Committee.

Source: “Manual of Rules of the Committee on Ways and Means for the One Hundred Eighth Congress,” WMCP: 108-1.

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming: The Select Committee, created by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and approved by the House on March 8, 2007, will hold hearings and investigations locally, nationally, and internationally to gather the information needed to protect our national security and the environment.  It is charged with recommending to the Congress policies, strategies, technologies and other innovations to reduce the dependence of the United States on foreign sources of energy and prevent global warming.

CAUCUSES

District Office: 221 Main Street, 2nd Floor | Hartford, CT 06106 | Phone: (860) 278-8888 | Fax: (860) 278-2111
D.C. Office: 1005 Longworth HOB | Washington, D.C. 20515 | Phone: (202) 225-2265 | Fax: (202) 225-1031