CivicIndex

Federal Policy

Taxation

Tax policy is the single most consequential area for the federal budget — it determines who pays what and how the government finances everything else. Senate Finance and House Ways and Means write the tax code; the IRS administers it.

Committees with jurisdiction

  • House Committee on Ways and Means
  • Senate Committee on Finance
  • National Security and International Trade and Finance
  • National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions

Members who specialize in this area

Leadership

Committee members

74 more members on jurisdictional committees not shown.

Recent bills in this area

  • HR. 9356 — Veteran Headstone Honor Act

    Sponsor:
    Michael Lawler · Republican · NY
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

  • S. 4759 — Tax Relief for Innocent Spouses Act

    Latest action:
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

  • S. 4761 — Tax Court Parity Act

    Sponsor:
    Tim Scott · Republican · SC
    Latest action:
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

  • HR. 9172 — Applying Existing Tax Anti-Abuse Rules to Digital Assets Act

    Sponsor:
    Jodey C. Arrington · Republican · TX
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

  • S. 4700 — Complete America’s Great Trails Act

    Sponsor:
    Richard Blumenthal · Democratic · CT
    Latest action:
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

  • HR. 9174 — Digital Assets Voluntary Disclosure Program Act

    Sponsor:
    Aaron Bean · Republican · FL
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

  • HR. 9175 — Tax Clarity for Mining and Staking Act

    Sponsor:
    Mike Carey · Republican · OH
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

  • HR. 9179 — Cost of Living Tax Cut Act

    Sponsor:
    Laura Gillen · Democratic · NY
    Latest action:
    Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Frequently asked

Who writes the tax code?

The Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Ways and Means have exclusive jurisdiction over taxation. Tax bills must originate in the House under the Constitution's Origination Clause.

What's a markup?

A markup is when a committee debates and amends a bill before voting it out. Tax-bill markups in Ways and Means and Finance are where most actual policy gets written.