Joint Committee on Taxation

The Joint Committee on Taxation is a permanent joint committee of Congress, established in 1926, with members from both the House and Senate. Unlike conference committees that temporarily reconcile differences on specific bills, the JCT conducts ongoing research and analysis on tax policy and does not report legislation directly to either chamber floor. Instead, it serves as a critical analytical resource for Congress.

The committee's primary mandate is to provide nonpartisan staff expertise on federal tax issues. It produces detailed analyses of proposed tax legislation, including revenue impact estimates and descriptions of tax provisions under consideration. The JCT also publishes research on broader tax policy topics, such as recent reports examining the taxation of digital assets and macroeconomic effects of tax proposals. Its work directly supports the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee as they develop and debate tax bills.

Currently, both the Chair and Ranking Member positions are vacant. The committee has 10 total members. The JCT remains actively engaged in analyzing major tax legislation, having recently provided estimates and detailed descriptions of tax provisions in budget reconciliation bills and other tax measures under congressional consideration. Its nonpartisan analysis helps ensure that lawmakers have reliable information about the fiscal and economic effects of tax policy changes.