Social Security legislation typically goes through two committees of jurisdiction in Congress.

In the House, the Ways and Means Committee generally addresses legislation related to Social Security, and the subcommittee within Ways and Means that handles these matters is the Subcommittee on Social Security.

In the Senate, the Finance Committee handles legislation related to Social Security. The subcommittee within the Senate Finance Committee that deals with these issues is the Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy. Below, is a list of the Chairs of these committees and a bit of information about them.

Representative Jason Smith (R-MO) – Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee

Rep. Smith is from Southeast Missouri and was first elected in 2013. His background is in farming and law. He is a fervent advocate of limited government and previously served as Ranking Member on the House Budget Committee. Smith is a former member of House leadership and the youngest ever Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

Representative Richard “Richie” Neal (D-MA) – Ranking Member of House Ways and Means Committee

Rep. Neal represents the West-Central part of Massachusetts. He was first elected in 1989 and formerly served as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He is a party leader on economic policy and is known as a quiet dealmaker who is sometimes willing to work with Republicans to advance legislation.

Representative Drew Ferguson (R-GA) – Chairman of House Subcommittee on Social Security

Rep. Ferguson was first elected in 2016 and represents the North-West region of Georgia. He is a dentist. Ferguson is known as an ally of Republican leadership. As Mayor of West Point, Georgia, he brought a large Kia plant to town. Up to this point, his focus in Congress has not been on Social Security issues. For instance, his caucus memberships are primarily those related to transportation, sporting, and national security.

Representative John Larson (D-CT) – Ranking Member of House Subcommittee on Social Security

Rep. Larson was first elected in 1999 and is from the North-Central part of Connecticut. He has extensive background in Social Security policy and is the former Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Social Security. Larson is the author of legislation called Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust. If enacted, this bill would expand Social Security by imposing an additional payroll tax on earnings above $400,000. Larson also launched a bicameral Expand Social Security Caucus with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) – Chairman of Senate Finance Committee

Sen. Wyden was first elected to the Senate in 1997 and is the senior Senator from Oregon. He is one of the longest serving Democrats on Capitol Hill and has a reputation for crafting bipartisan deals on polarizing issues. Wyden is a proponent of broad restructuring of the tax base by eliminating deductions.

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) – Ranking Member of Senate Finance Committee

Sen. Crapo is the senior Senator from Idaho and was first elected to the Senate in 1999. He is the Chief Deputy Minority Whip and a member of the “Gang of Six,” a bipartisan group of Senators who attempted to work together to reduce the federal deficit. Crapo previously supported across-the-board discretionary spending cuts, excluding Social Security.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) –Chairman of Senate Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy

Sen. Brown was first elected in 2007 and is the senior Senator from Ohio. He is considered a populist with a bridge to the Democrats’ progressive and centrist wings. Brown is the author of the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) – Ranking Member of Senate Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy

Sen. Tillis is the junior Senator from North Carolina and was first elected to the Senate in 2015. He is business-oriented and considered socially and fiscally conservative. While he maintains a reliably conservative voting record, Tillis did vote for a bill to give married same-sex couples Social Security benefits.

For more details, watch NOSSCR’s recent Washington Update.