House Ways and Means Committee

Definition

The oldest committee in Congress, it's responsible for writing tax legislation and bills affecting Social Security, Medicare, and other entitlement programs.

Analogy

Think of this committee as the school treasurer. They're in charge of managing funds (like taxes) and deciding how to distribute them (like to entitlement programs).

Related terms

House Appropriations Committee: This is a committee in the House of Representatives that's responsible for passing appropriation bills along with its Senate counterpart.

Senate Finance Committee: This is a Senate committee that's equivalent to the House Ways and Means Committee. It deals with matters relating to taxation and public expenditure.

Entitlement Programs: These are government programs guaranteeing certain benefits to particular groups or individuals, like Social Security or Medicare.