Appropriations Committee Organizes for 118th Congress

February 8, 2023
Press Release

The House Appropriations Committee today organized for the 118th Congress by adopting both the Committee Rules and Subcommittee Jurisdictions by voice vote. The Committee is now fully constituted to begin its work overseeing the nation’s discretionary spending.

The Appropriations Committee Democrats previously named the Vice Ranking Member and Subcommittee Ranking Members who were approved by the House Democratic Caucus this morning.

Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) offered reflections on the House Appropriations Committee’s work for the 118th Congress. Below are her remarks:

“Thank you so much, Chairwoman Granger. It’s wonderful to be here with you this morning and with everyone. And congratulations on leading your first full committee meeting as Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee. I just might add that you have a history of being a trailblazer. You were the first woman to chair the Defense Subcommittee and the first to serve as mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, and now you are the first Republican woman to lead the Appropriations Committee.

“It is an honor to be a part of this historic moment with you and our Senate counterparts, Senators Patty Murray and Susan Collins, as women now lead all four corners of the Appropriations Committees. And, you know, both the men and women in this audience will understand this. We always reflect on making sure that women are at the table. Well, the fact is that the four of us are the table, so there we go.

“I am so proud that this is the first time ever, in fact, that any, any Congressional committee will have all four corners led entirely by women. I think it was maybe 1973, the only time that there were two women in charge was the Beauty Salon Committee. So, we have made progress. And Kay, you and I have served on the committee together for many, many years, and I look forward to continuing our work together.

“Before we get to organizing for this year, I want to speak to some of what was achieved through collaboration among many of us here today, as Appropriations bills are must-pass bills and in order to enact them, they need to be supported by Democrats and Republicans and by both the House and the Senate.

“We brought back Community Project Funding for the first time in more than a decade with broad support on both sides of the aisle and strict transparency and accountability rules. I am proud of the bipartisanship and the collaboration that ensured both Democratic and Republican Members in districts all over our country had the opportunity to request projects and serve their communities. My hope is that that spirit of strong bipartisanship in the Community Project Funding process continues because it proves just how effective we can be on this Committee on behalf of the constituents who have sent us here to meet the urgent needs of our communities.

“In the last Congress, we also successfully enacted spending bills that provided assistance for communities in many of our districts across the country impacted by natural disasters. We defended global democracy in the wake of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine. We passed and we enacted four supplemental bills to support Ukraine. And we did a supplemental to protect the Capitol Complex. And full year spending bills for both 2022 and 2023 were signed into law – the very basic, most fundamental yet critical function of this committee.

“I look forward to working closely with the Chairwoman and my colleagues here today to fund the programs our communities rely on. But I would be remiss if I did not mention my concern over reports to return all discretionary spending to the 2022 enacted level.

“I am concerned about the impact these cuts would have on the American people, the economy, and essential government functions. I know that we can work together to ensure the needs of the American people are met and that the work we have done over the last Congress to lower costs for middle class families, for working families, to create better-paying jobs, and to protect our nation and our communities is not undone.

“Before closing, I would like to make some announcements on the membership on the Democratic side of the Committee. Aside from Minority Whip Katherine Clark who is taking leave as she assumes her new leadership role, I am happy that we will be joined again by all Democratic Members of the Committee who served last year. I would like to welcome back Steny Hoyer to the committee. He has been on leave of absence while he served as the Majority Leader. Welcome home. This is home, this is home.

“Congressman Joe Morelle, in his first official committee meeting, as he joined the committee towards the end of the 117th Congress.

“Let me ask, Grace Meng, who I am pleased to say was elected to serve as Vice Ranking Member of the Committee. She’s outstanding, as is my former colleague on the Labor-HHS Subcommittee, Tom Cole, who continues to be Vice Chair here as well.

“Our members in the top Democratic slots of each subcommittee will largely be the same as last Congress, with the following exceptions: Congressman Hoyer will serve as Ranking Member of Financial Services, Congressman Cuellar will serve as Ranking Member of Homeland, Congressman Quigley will serve as Ranking Member of Transportation-Housing and Urban Development, and Congressman Espaillat will serve as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch subcommittee.

“Representatives Barbara Lee and Jennifer Wexton will continue to serve on the Budget Committee as they did in the last Congress. And I am pleased to say that Congressman David Trone will also be serving on the Budget Committee.

“I can think of no greater group of people that embodies both the intellectual heft of our Democratic Caucus and our shared commitment to doing good for our nation.

“And let me also extend my welcome to the 10 new Republican members who joined this committee. There is no better committee. The Appropriations Committee is the center of this government. And while lots of bills come and go, every single year, we must appropriate the money in order that the government is functioning, stays open, and the needs of the American people are met. So welcome to the Committee, I know you will enjoy it.

“In closing, let me just say it’s an honor, as the Chairwoman pointed out, one of the greatest honors of my life, to continue to work on this committee and to serve with all of you on behalf of the American people as Ranking Member of this committee.

“And I might just add one more word. As the staff on both sides of the aisle is gathered. There is no finer group of people as we look to serve the American people. This staff, again, both sides of the aisle, serves the American people every single day and they are all always available to help us find our way. And yes, to do the right thing. So, thank you to the staff for all that you do.

“Thank you, Chairwoman Granger, I yield back.”

118th Congress