Soror appointed to the Ways & Means Committee
from:
http://www.house.gov/tubbsjones/pr030109.htm
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones Makes History as the First African-American Woman to Earn a Seat on the Ways and Means Committee
In spite of GOP Effort to Eliminate Seat at the Last Minute
Washington, DC - Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced last night that Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones had been selected as the newest Member on the very powerful Ways and Means Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.
"I am pleased to have a seat on the Ways and Means Committee, as it is a long overdue honor to have an African-American woman to serve on this committee," said Rep. Tubbs Jones. "As a Member of the Ways and Means Committee, I plan to work with my colleagues to secure access to health care for every American by extending health insurance for the uninsured. In addition, I plan to work to secure national Social Security programs, such as a prescription drug benefit provide funds for the well being of our nation's children, and support tax and trade legislation that would help spur economic growth for small businesses and American families."
Rep. Tubbs Jones received overwhelming support by the Democratic Steering Committee and was praised by Pelosi who stated, "I'm very pleased that for the first time we have an African-American woman on the Ways and Means Committee."
The Democratic Steering Committee chose Reps. Tubbs Jones and Max Sandlin of Texas to fill two Democratic vacancies on the panel. The Democratic decision to name Sandlin and Tubbs Jones came shortly after the Republican Steering Committee accepted a proposal by the Ways and Means Chairman Thomas to shrink the panel by one Democrat and one Republican in spite of Republicans informing Democrats last week that the ratio would not change. Negotiations late in the evening restored both seats.
Tubbs Jones was seen as a likely choice because of her ties to Pelosi as well as the support she had from Ohio and Pennsylvania members hoping to fill the regional void.
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, now serving her third term, is also the first African-American woman elected to the United States House of Representatives from the State of Ohio.
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