Dan Rostenkowski,
(D-IL) accepted the chair of Ways and Means in 1981 rather than seek appointment as party whip for the Democratic majority. He sought to reverse the Committee's diffused structure of the 1970s and reinstated the Chairman's historical function as power broker.  He was Chairman of the Committee until June 1994.  Sam Gibbons, (D-FL), was acting Chairman for the rest of the 103rd Congress.  Rostenkowski was not reelected in 1994.

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