Ways and Means announces four new Republican members

The powerful House Ways and Means Committee announced the addition of four new Republican members on Friday with the panel that will take the lead on an overhaul of the tax code next year. 

Republican Reps. Tim Griffin (Ark.), Mike Kelly (Pa.), Tim Scott (S.C.) and Todd Young (Ind.) gained the seats on the tax-writing panel. 

Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) said the appointments come at a time when “the fiscal challenges facing America are significant.” The addition of the lawmakers "compliments the tremendous skills and knowledge of our existing Members working to solve these problems," he said.

“I look forward to working with the entire Ways and Means Committee to meet those challenges and advance the policies needed to get our economy back on track, reduce out-of-control federal spending and strengthen our entitlement programs for future generations,” Camp said in a statement.

After gaining a seat, Griffin said he won't challenge Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor or run for governor in 2014, and would instead run for reelection, according to news reports. 

"I was going to give some serious thought to other options, but this is such an honor and it is exactly the subject matter I'm interested in — that I think holds the key to a lot of our fiscal problems," Griffin said.

Kelly vowed to "work diligently to apply my decades of experience in the private sector, as both a small business owner and job creator."

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