FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Today, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) announced that Bill Thomas, the recently retired chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has joined AEI as a visiting fellow. 

“We are very proud to welcome Bill Thomas to the AEI team,” said Christopher DeMuth, president of AEI.  “Both his intellect and his vast legislative experience will be an enormous asset to AEI.”

Thomas retired from Congress last month after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for twenty eight years.  From 2001 to 2007, Thomas served as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and authored numerous tax, trade, and health care laws.  Under Thomas’ leadership, Americans were provided nearly $2 trillion in tax relief, a prescription drug benefit was added to Medicare, Trade Promotion Authority was restored for the president, and seven new free trade agreements were signed into law. 

Thomas is also the past chairman of the House Administration Committee (1995–2001) and was the co-chairman of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, (1998–1999).  Prior to serving in Congress, Thomas was a member of the California State Assembly and also a professor of political science at Bakersfield College.
 
Interview requests for Bill Thomas can be sent to vrodman@aei.org (telephone 202.862.4870) or directly to Mr. Thomas at bill.thomas@aei.org. 

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