Ryan Ray
As rumors of a possible Senate run simmer in the background, Sarasota Congressman Vern Buchanan takes a step up the U.S. House ladder, assuming a seat on the Budget Committee on Wednesday.
“As a businessman for over 30 years, I know what it means to balance a budget and meet a payroll,” said Buchanan in an announcement. “I look forward to joining Chairman [Georgia Rep. Tom] Price and the other committee members as we work to grow the economy, create jobs, and reduce the massive federal deficit.”
The appointment places Buchanan on the two most important fiscal panels in the House; the Republican also sits on House Ways & Means, once chaired by Rep. Sam Gibbons of Tampa, the only Floridian to have ever held that rank.
Chairman Price welcomed Buchanan into the fold, saying in a statement “As the House Budget Committee is working to advance policies to address our nation’s fiscal and economic challenges, Congressman Buchanan will be an invaluable part of this team effort. I appreciate him joining the committee as we work to advance positive, responsible solutions.”
Buchanan – one of the the U.S. House’s wealthiest members – was first elected among a small Republican class of 2006, the best year for Congressional Democrats in recent memory.
