WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the news of former Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel’s (NY-13) passing, Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) said:

“From humble beginnings in Harlem to the top tax-writing Committee in the United States Congress, Chairman Rangel’s life underscored how America is a land of opportunity. There can be no question he was a fighter, and the Purple Heart and Bronze Star he earned during the Korean War were just the start of a long career of service. My prayers are with his family.”