Committees & Caucuses

House Committee on Ways and Means 

Rep. Sewell is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means where she serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight. She is also a member of the Subcommittees on Trade and Social Security.

The Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest committee of the United States Congress, and is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. 

The Committee derives a large share of its jurisdiction from Article I, Section VII of the U.S. Constitution which declares, "All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives."

First established as a select committee on July 24, 1789, it was discharged less than two months later. The committee was reappointed from the first session of the Fourth Congress in 1795, and was formally listed as a standing committee in the House Rules on January 7, 1802.

Until 1865, the jurisdiction of the committee (referred to as the Committee of Ways and Means before 1880) included the critically important areas of revenue, appropriations, and banking. Since 1865, the committee has continued to exercise jurisdiction over revenue and related issues such as tariffs, reciprocal trade agreements, and the bonded debt of the United States. Revenue-related aspects of the Social Security system, Medicare, and social services programs have come within Ways and Means' purview in the 20th century.

The roster of committee members who have gone on to serve in higher office is impressive. Eight Presidents and eight Vice Presidents have served on Ways and Means, as have 21 Speakers of the House of Representatives, and four Justices of the Supreme Court.

Committee on House Administration

Rep. Sewell was appointed to the Committee on House Administration for the 119th Congress where she serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Elections.

The Committee on House Administration is charged with the oversight of federal elections and the day-to-day operations of the House of Representatives.

The Committee's jurisdiction over federal elections requires it to consider proposals to amend federal election law and to monitor congressional elections across the United States. The Committee was instrumental in the passage of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which former Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter called the most meaningful improvement in election laws and voting safeguards in a generation. This law provided more than $3 billion dollars for the upgrades of voting equipment and procedures to make the voting process more accessible and to guard against fraud.

House Administration manages the daily operations that keep the House of Representatives running smoothly. The budget authorizations for expenses of House committees, and those for expenses of Members of Congress, are set by the Committee. Additionally, the Committee is responsible for oversight of House officers, including the administrative and technical functions of the House.

The security of the Capitol Complex has become an even higher priority since the devastating attacks of September 11, 2001. The House Administration Committee, which oversees security on the House side of the Capitol Complex, works closely with the Capitol Police to ensure that every effort is made to keep the Capitol Complex extremely secure while maintaining accessibility for the millions of constituents who visit every year.