Washington, D.C. -— U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) announced today that he was appointed late Wednesday night to serve on the exclusive House Committee on Ways and Means for the upcoming 111th Congress.
Etheridge will be the only North Carolina member to serve on the committee, and the first North Carolinian to serve since 1984. He is the first Democrat from North Carolina since Rep. Robert Doughton, who chaired the committee from 1933 to 1947 and 1949 to 1953.
“Serving on the Committee on Ways and Means will allow me to work closely on the issues that are directly affecting North Carolina families during the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The committee will have serious challenges to address, but I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work during this critical time,” said Etheridge.
The committee oversees a wide array of issues, including health care, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment benefits, welfare, child support and foster care and adoption. The committee has sole jurisdiction over tariffs and revenue-raising methods. Because of its broad jurisdiction, the committee plays a role in most major pieces of legislation that move through Congress. The committee also played a key role in the passage of the 2008 Farm Bill.
Etheridge will work on the committee to provide federal support for local school construction efforts, keep taxes low for middle-class families, ensure that trade agreements are fair for North Carolina workers, to expand access to health care and to boost the economy.