WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was selected by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) to serve as Chairman of the Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy. Brown will also serve on the Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness and the Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth.

“My biggest priority is to help build the middle class, and this subcommittee provides a great opportunity to do so: from protecting Social Security and Medicare, and ensuring workers receive the pensions they have earned, to fighting for Ohio’s children and families,” Brown said. “As we continue to work to reduce our deficit, we must protect seniors and the Social Security benefits they have earned. That means defending Social Security against benefit cuts or schemes to raise the retirement age for hardworking Ohioans.”

The Senate Finance Committee handles matters relating to: taxation and other revenue measures; bonded debt of the United States; customs, collection districts, and ports of entry and delivery; reciprocal trade agreements; tariff and import quotas; the transportation of dutiable goods; deposit of public moneys; general revenue sharing; health programs under the Social Security Act, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and other health and human services programs financed by a specific tax or trust fund; and national social security.

As a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Brown previously served as the ranking minority member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee. Brown also serves on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, and is chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection. He is the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in more than 40 years and also serves on the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

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