United States House Committee on Ways and Means The Committee of
Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United
States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means
Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees
unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional
leadership. The Committee has jurisdiction over all taxation,
tariffs and other revenue-raising measures, as well as a number
of other programs including: - Social Security - Unemployment
benefits - Enforcement of child support laws - Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families, a federal welfare program -
Foster care and adoption programs The U.S. Constitution requires
that all bills regarding taxation must originate in the House of
Representatives. Since House procedure is that all bills
regarding taxation must go through this committee, the committee
is very influential, as is its Senate counterpart, the U.S.
Senate Committee on Finance. The Ways and Means Committee in the
111th Congress was cha