Sander Levin to lead House tax committee
Rep. Sandy Levin, D-Mich., is a new chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee, the Associated Press as well as other news outlets report.
The AP says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Democrats in the closed-door meeting Thursday that Levin would dominate the chairmanship relinquished by New York Rep. Charles Rangel on Wednesday. Rangel stepped aside after he was admonished from the House ethics committee to take trips to the Caribbean sponsored by private companies in violation of House gift rules.
Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., a liberal and controversial figure known for his barbed comments about Republicans, was the next in line of succession to the post and had become acting chairman Wednesday.
The AP said Levin told reporters that he is filling out temporarily as chairman. “I think you know my close relationship with Charlie,” Levin said. “At this point, I’m acting chairman.”
In the statement, Stark said he has chosen to remain in his role as chairman of a health subcommittee that is part in the Ways and Means panel. “We are at the cusp of achieving health care reform, and we must remain focused on moving forward,” he said.
adapted from:
