Texas Republican Rep Kevin Brady was tapped Wednesday to replace Paul Ryan as chairman of the powerful Ways and Means tax panel.
The House Steering Committee, the influential group of House GOP members who decide on top assignments and vacancies, made the pick, Ryan’s office said. It won’t become official until the full House Republican conference signs off on his nomination at a meeting on Thursday morning.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who rooms with Brady in a group house in Washington, tweeted his congratulations to Brady and joked that his new post would not get him out of chores. “Don’t think this gets you out of doing the dishes though!” Scalise tweeted.
Brady beat out Ohio Republican Pat Tiberi — both already serve as senior members on the panel.
Ryan, elected as House speaker last week, publicly stayed neutral in the race to choose his successor, but the Steering Committee members are typically members loyal to top House GOP leaders. Ryan as the speaker gets five votes in steering committee decisions and the House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy gets two votes, with all other steering committee members getting one vote.
