WASHINGTON — Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) was elected Wednesday, Jan. 15, by the House Republican Steering Committee to serve on the House Committee on Ways and Means. Rep. Estes will be the only Member of Congress from Kansas to serve on the committee in the 116th Congress.

“I am honored to represent the Fourth District and Kansas on the Ways and Means Committee,” said Rep. Estes. “As a former state treasurer and engineer, I look forward to solving problems and being a champion of lower taxes, free and fair trade, and affordable health care. As representative of our region’s diverse agriculture and manufacturing industries, among my first priorities will be securing approval of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement and pursuing free trade deals with other partners around the world.”

The influential Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest committee in the United States Congress and responsible for writing tax policy as laid out in Article I, Section VII of the U.S. Constitution. In addition, the committee also has jurisdiction over trade, Social Security and health care. In the 115th Congress, Rep. Estes served on the Homeland Security and Education and the Workforce Committees.

Ron Estes is a 5th generation Kansan and represents Kansas’ 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.