House Budget Chairman

Black to hand off budget gavel, remain in Congress

By SARAH FERRIS

House Budget Chairman Diane Black announced Wednesday that she plans to hand over her gavel in early 2018 but will not give up her seat as she revs up her campaign for governor of Tennessee.

Black plans to step down “once a successor is chosen in the new year,” according to her spokeswoman Sarah Corley. The Tennessee Republican will not vacate her seat, ending months of speculation that she would resign shortly after the GOP’s tax plan became law.

Steve Womack (R-Ark.) is the early front-runner for the seat, according to several GOP lawmakers. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.) is also eyeing the position.

Black — whose hard-fought budget blueprint jump-started the GOP’s tax push this summer — also served on the conference committee that shaped the final version of the legislation.

“It has been an honor to serve as Chairman of the House Budget Committee,” Black wrote in a statement. “I am very proud of the hard work of our members and all we accomplished, especially offering real reforms for mandatory programs and unlocking pro-growth tax reform.”

The first woman to lead the budget panel, Black is also one of few women at the helm of a House committee this year.