Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach has earned a seat on the influential House Ways and Means Committee and will start his new assignment when Congress convenes in January.

The House Republican Steering Committee — a panel of elected leadership, committee chairs, regional representatives and incoming first-term members — selected him for committee.

The Ways and Means Committee, long considered the most influential committee in Congress, crafts policies and laws dealing with taxes, trade, welfare, Medicare, Social Security, unemployment benefits and other issues.

Gerlach, who represents Pennsylvania’s Sixth District in the House, said the committee post will position him to be a strong advocate for a “pro-jobs agenda” that would focus on putting people back to work to support their families, according to a press release.

In November, Republicans picked up more than 60 seats in the U.S. House to give the GOP a commanding majority. The Republicans gained at least six Senate seats. Gerlach was first elected to Congress in 2002.

“The committee should see a lot of action on health care, taxes and transportation over the next two years,” he said. “I think we’ll repeal parts of the health care bill.”