United States House Committee on Appropriations

The Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives, commonly referred to as the "House," is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress, the upper house being the United States Senate. The composition and powers of the House and the Senate are established in Article One of the Constitution...

. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money

Money

Money is anything that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange, a unit of account, a store of value, and occasionally, a standard of deferred payment...

 by the government

Government

A government is the body within a community, political entity or organization which has the authority to make and enforce rules, laws and regulations.....

 of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. As such, it is one of the most powerful of the committees, and its members are seen as influential.

The constitutional

United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America and the federal government of the United States...

 basis for the Appropriations Committee comes from Article one

Article One of the United States Constitution

Article One of the United States Constitution describes the powers of the legislative branch of the federal government - the Congress.The Article provides that Congress consists of a House of Representatives and the Senate, establishes the manner of election and qualifications of members of each...

, Section nine, Clause seven of the U.S. Constitution, which states that:

No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time.

This clearly delegated the power of appropriating money to Congress, but was vague beyond that.

The Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives, commonly referred to as the "House," is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress, the upper house being the United States Senate. The composition and powers of the House and the Senate are established in Article One of the Constitution...

. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money

Money

Money is anything that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange, a unit of account, a store of value, and occasionally, a standard of deferred payment...

 by the government

Government

A government is the body within a community, political entity or organization which has the authority to make and enforce rules, laws and regulations.....

 of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. As such, it is one of the most powerful of the committees, and its members are seen as influential.

History

The constitutional

United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America and the federal government of the United States...

 basis for the Appropriations Committee comes from Article one

Article One of the United States Constitution

Article One of the United States Constitution describes the powers of the legislative branch of the federal government - the Congress.The Article provides that Congress consists of a House of Representatives and the Senate, establishes the manner of election and qualifications of members of each...

, Section nine, Clause seven of the U.S. Constitution, which states that:

No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time.

This clearly delegated the power of appropriating money to Congress, but was vague beyond that. Originally, the power of appropriating was taken by the Committee on Ways and Means, but the United States Civil War placed a large burden on the Congress, and at the end of that conflict, a reorganization occurred.

The Committee was created on December 11, 1865, when the House separated the tasks of the Committee on Ways and Means into three parts. The passage of legislation affecting tax

Tax

To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law.Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...

es remained with Ways and Means. The power to regulate bank

Bank

A bank is a financial institution licensed by a government. Its primary activities include borrowing and lending money.Many other financial activities were allowed over time. For example banks are important players in financial markets and offer financial services such as investment funds...

ing was transferred to the Committee on Banking and Commerce. The power to appropriate money--to control the federal pursestrings--was given to the newly-created Appropriations Committee.

At the time the membership of the committee stood at nine; it currently has 60 members. The power of the committee has only grown since its founding; many of its members and chairmen have gone on to even higher posts. For example, four of them--Samuel Randall (D-PA

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...

), Joseph Cannon (R-IL

Illinois

Illinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...

), Joseph Byrns (D-TN

Tennessee

Tennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...

) and Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. She is a member of the Democratic Party...

 (D-CA

California

California is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...

)--have gone on to become the Speaker of the House

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The current Speaker is Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat representing California's 8th congressional district....

, and one, James Garfield

James Garfield

James Abram Garfield was the 20th President of the United States. His death, two months after being shot and six months after his inauguration, made his tenure, at 199 days, the second shortest in United States history.Before his election as president, Garfield served as a major general in the...

, has gone on to become President

President of the United States

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...

.

The root of the Committee's power is its ability to disburse funds, and thus as the federal budget

Budget

A budget is generally a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...

 has risen, so has the power of the Appropriations Committee. The first budget of the U.S., in 1789, was for $

United States dollar

The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents .The U.S...

639,000--a hefty sum for the time, but a much smaller amount relative to the economy

Economics

Economics is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...

 than the federal budget would later become. By the time the Appropriations committee was founded, the Civil War and inflation

Inflation

In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation is also an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a loss of real...

 had raised expenditures to roughly $1.3 billion, increasing the clout of Appropriations. Expenditures continued to follow this pattern--rising sharply during war

War

War is a reciprocated, armed conflict, between two or more non-congruous entities, aimed at reorganising a subjectively designed, geo-politically desired result...

s before settling down--for over 100 years.

Another important development for Appropriations occurred in the presidency of Warren G. Harding

Warren G. Harding

Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death from a heart attack or stroke in 1923. A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate and later as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S...

. Harding was the first President to deliver a budget proposal to Congress (see United States budget process

United States budget process

The process of creating the budget for the United States Government is known as the budget process. The framework used by Congress to formulating the budget was established by the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, and by other budget...

).

In the early 1970s, the Appropriations committee faced a crisis. President Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States and is the only president to resign the office. He was also the 36th Vice President of the United States ....

 began "impounding" funds, not allowing them to be spent, even when Congress had specifically appropriated money for a cause. This was essentially a line-item veto

Line-item veto

In government, the line-item veto is the power of an executive to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill, usually budget appropriations, without vetoing the entire legislative package...

. Numerous court cases were filed by outraged interest group

Interest group

An interest group is an organization that seeks to influence political decisions. This can be done by explaining the benefits of a policy to the relevant politicians, by making financial contributions or incentives, or a combination of the two...

s and members of Congress. Eventually, the sense that Congress needed to regain control of the budget process led to the adoption of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974

Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974

The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is a United States federal law that governs the role of the Congress in the United States budget process.-The Congressional budget process:...

, which finalized the budget process in its current form.

Role

The Appropriations committee is widely recognized by political scientists

Political science

Political science is a social science concerned with the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behavior. It is often described as the pragmatic application of the art and science of politics defined as "who gets what, when and how",...

 as one of the "power committees," since it holds the power of the purse. Openings on the Appropriations committee are often hotly demanded, and are doled out as rewards. It is one of the exclusive committees of the House, meaning its members typically sit on no other committee. Much of the power of the committee comes from the inherent utility of controlling spending. Its subcommittee chairmen are often called "Cardinals" because of the power they wield over the budget.

Since Congress is elected

Election

An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the executive and...

 from single-member districts, how well the member secures rewards for his or her district is one of the best indicators as to whether or not he or she will be reelected. One way to achieve popularity in one's district is to bring it federal spending, thus creating jobs and raising economic performance. This type of spending is often derided by critics as pork barrel spending, while those who engage in it generally defend it as necessary and appropriate expenditure of government funds. The members of the Appropriations committee can do this better than most, and as such the appointment is regarded as a plus. This help can also be directed towards other members, increasing the stature of committee members in the House and helping them gain support for leadership positions or other honors.

The committee tends to be less partisan than other committees or the House overall. While the minority party will offer amendments during committee consideration, appropriations bills often get significant bipartisan support, both in committee and on the House floor. This atmosphere can be attributed to the fact that all committee members have a compelling interest in ensuring legislation will contain money for their own districts. Conversely, because members of this committee can easily steer money to their home districts, it is considered very difficult to unseat a member of this committee at an election--especially if he or she is a "Cardinal."

In addition, the ability to appropriate money is useful to lobbyists and interest group

Interest group

An interest group is an organization that seeks to influence political decisions. This can be done by explaining the benefits of a policy to the relevant politicians, by making financial contributions or incentives, or a combination of the two...

s; as such, being on Appropriations makes it easier to collect campaign contributions (see campaign finance

Campaign finance

Campaign finance refers to the fundraising and spending that political campaigns do in their election races. As campaigns have many expenditures, ranging from the cost of travel for the candidate and others to the purchasing of air time for TV advertisements, candidates often devote substantial...

).

Members, 111th Congress

111th United States Congress

The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the...

Majority

Minority

David Obey, Wisconsin, Chairman John Murtha John Murtha John Patrick “Jack” Murtha, Jr. is an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, has represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 1974... , Pennsylvania Norman D. Dicks Norman D. Dicks Norman DeValois "Norm" Dicks , American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1977, representing... , Washington Alan Mollohan Alan Mollohan Alan Bowlby Mollohan is a Democratic member of United States House of Representatives, representing West Virginia's . The district encompasses the northern part of the state; it based in Wheeling and includes Parkersburg, Morgantown, Fairmont and Clarksburg... , West Virginia Marcy Kaptur Marcy Kaptur Marcia Carolyn "Marcy" Kaptur is a Democratic Member of Congress from Ohio's Ninth Congressional District. She is currently the longest-serving woman in the House; in the Congress, she is currently the fourth longest-serving woman with Barbara Boxer third and Olympia Snowe second after Barbara... , Ohio Pete Visclosky Pete Visclosky Peter John "Pete" Visclosky is an American politician who will be serving his twelfth term in the United States House of Representatives for . The First District lies in Northwest Indiana and includes all of Lake, Newton, Jasper and Benton counties as well as a major portion of Porter County. Much... , Indiana Nita Lowey Nita Lowey Nita M. Lowey is a politician from the U.S. state of New York.Lowey was born in the Bronx in New York, New York and she graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor's degree... , New York José Serrano José Serrano José Enrique Serrano is a New York politician, currently representing the state's 16th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. His son, José M... , New York Rosa DeLauro Rosa DeLauro Rosa L. DeLauro , American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1991, representing . The district is based in New Haven, and includes most of that city's suburbs.... , Connecticut Jim Moran Jim Moran James Patrick "Jim" Moran Jr. has represented the of Virginia since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life:... , Virginia John Olver John Olver John Walter Olver , American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1991, representing , a primarily rural district that makes up most of Western Massachusetts.... , Massachusetts Ed Pastor Ed Pastor Edward Lopez "Ed" Pastor is an American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1991, representing . The district includes most of southern, western, and downtown Phoenix, along with a portion of Glendale.-Early life:Pastor was born in Claypool,... , Arizona David Price David Price (American politician) David Eugene Price is a professor and politician currently serving as Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 4th district of North Carolina... , North Carolina Chet Edwards Chet Edwards Thomas Chester "Chet" Edwards is a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from the 17th District of Texas, based about Waco, Edwards represented Texas's 11th District from 1991 to 2005 and has since been elected in the 17th District. The district includes the town of... , Texas Patrick J. Kennedy Patrick J. Kennedy Patrick Joseph Kennedy II is an American Democratic politician serving in the United States House of Representatives, representing the 1st congressional district of Rhode Island.... , Rhode Island Maurice Hinchey Maurice Hinchey Maurice Dunlea Hinchey , is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing New York's 22nd congressional district since 2003... , New York Lucille Roybal-Allard Lucille Roybal-Allard Lucille Roybal-Allard , an American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing , which includes downtown Los Angeles.... , California Sam Farr Sam Farr Samuel S. Farr , American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the 17th District of California. He was elected to Congress in a 1993 special election when longtime Democratic Rep... , California Jesse Jackson, Jr. Jesse Jackson, Jr. Jesse Louis Jackson, Jr. is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing , which includes the part of the Southland southeast suburbs of Chicago and part of the Chicago South Side... , Illinois Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick is an American politician and mother of former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. She has been a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1997. Since the 2002 redistricting, she has represented the 13th District comprising most of Detroit and portions of... , Michigan Allen Boyd Allen Boyd F. Allen Boyd Jr. is an American politician, and has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing . His district includes all of Bay, Gulf, Calhoun, Jackson, Liberty, Gadsden, Franklin, Wakulla, Taylor, Suwannee, Lafayette, and Dixie Counties.... , Florida Chaka Fattah Chaka Fattah Chaka Fattah , has served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1994, representing the 2nd congressional district of Pennsylvania , which includes North Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, a very small portion of Northeast Philadelphia and Cheltenham Township in... , Pennsylvania Steve Rothman Steve Rothman Steven R. "Steve" Rothman is an American Democratic Party politician, who is a member of the United States House of Representatives for New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District . First sworn into the United States Congress on January 3, 1997, he now is serving his sixth two-year term in office... , New Jersey Sanford Bishop Sanford Bishop Sanford Dixon Bishop Jr. has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing the 2nd District of Georgia . The district is located in the southwestern part of the state and includes Albany, Thomasville and most of Columbus.-Early life, career, and... , Georgia Marion Berry Marion Berry Robert Marion Berry is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing . Prior to his first election to the House of Representatives in 1997 Berry served on President Bill Clinton's White House Domestic Policy Council... , Arkansas Barbara Lee Barbara Lee Barbara Jean Lee , is an American politician, and has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1998, representing . She is the first woman to represent that district. Lee is the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and was the Co-Chair of the Congressional... , California Adam Schiff Adam Schiff Adam B. Schiff is an American politician. He first served in the California State Senate. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing California's 29th congressional district and in 2007, he became a member of the House Appropriations... , California Michael Honda, California Betty McCollum Betty McCollum Betty Louise McCollum is an American politician and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party . She is currently a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Minnesota's 4th congressional district, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota, thus far serving in the... , Minnesota Steve Israel Steve Israel Steve J. Israel is an American politician from the state of New York, currently representing the state's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.-Biography:... , New York Tim Ryan Tim Ryan Timothy J. "Tim" Ryan is an American politician and Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 17th congressional district since 2003.-Early life and career:... , Ohio Dutch Ruppersberger Dutch Ruppersberger Charles Albert Ruppersberger III; usually known as Dutch Ruppersberger is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 2nd Congressional district of Maryland since 2003. The district includes parts of Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Harford... , Maryland Ben Chandler Ben Chandler Albert Benjamin "Ben" Chandler III is an American politician from Kentucky. He is the member of the House of Representatives for and was first elected in 2004.Chandler was born in Versailles, Kentucky. He received a BA and a J.D... , Kentucky Debbie Wasserman Schultz Debbie Wasserman Schultz Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a Florida Democrat elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2004, representing . The district includes portions of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. She was born in Forest Hills, Queens in New York City and grew up on Long Island. She currently lives in... , Florida Ciro Rodriguez, Texas Lincoln Davis Lincoln Davis Lincoln Edward Davis is a U.S. Representative from Tennessee, currently representing the state's 4th congressional district... , Tennessee John Salazar John Salazar John Tony Salazar is a three-term Democratic Congressman from Colorado. He was first elected in 2004 and has represented since then.-Background:... , Colorado

Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (politician) Charles Jeremy Lewis , an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1979, representing the .... , California, Ranking Member C.W. Bill Young, Florida Hal Rogers Hal Rogers Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers , American politician,has been a Republican member of theUnited States House of Representatives since 1981,representing the... , Kentucky Frank Wolf, Virginia Jack Kingston Jack Kingston John Heddens Kingston , Republican politician, has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing .- Early life and background:... , Georgia Rodney Frelinghuysen Rodney Frelinghuysen Rodney P. Frelinghuysen is an American Republican Party politician, who has served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing since 1995.-Biography:... , New Jersey Todd Tiahrt Todd Tiahrt Todd Tiahrt , American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995, representing... , Kansas Zach Wamp Zach Wamp Zachary Paul "Zach" Wamp is a Republican politician representing the 3rd Congressional district of Tennessee since 1995. The district is based in Chattanooga and includes large parts of East Tennessee, including Oak Ridge.-Early life, education and early career:Wamp was born in Fort Benning,... , Tennessee Tom Latham Tom Latham Thomas "Tom" Latham , American politician, has been a Republican member of theUnited States House of Representatives since 1995, representing .... , Iowa Robert Aderholt Robert Aderholt Robert Brown Aderholt is an American politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing... , Alabama Jo Ann Emerson Jo Ann Emerson Jo Ann Emerson is an American politician from the U.S. state of Missouri currently serving her seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She represents which consists of Southeast and South Central Missouri and includes the Bootheel, the Lead Belt and the Ozarks... , Missouri Kay Granger Kay Granger Kay Granger , a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Texas, currently represents the 12th congressional district in the U.S... , Texas Mike Simpson Mike Simpson Michael Keith "Mike" Simpson, D.M.D. , has been a Republican United States Representative from Idaho since 1999. Simpson represents .... , Idaho John Culberson John Culberson John Abney Culberson , American politician, is a Republican congressman from Texas, representing that state's 7th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2001... , Texas Mark Kirk Mark Kirk Mark Steven Kirk has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001. Kirk is running for a position in the Senate in 2010.- Early life and education :... , Illinois Ander Crenshaw Ander Crenshaw Ander Crenshaw , American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing . He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, was educated at the University of Georgia Ander Crenshaw (born September 1, 1944), American politician, has been a... , Florida Denny Rehberg Denny Rehberg Dennis R. "Denny" Rehberg is an American politician who has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing Montana's at-large congressional district.-Background:... , Montana John Carter, Texas Rodney Alexander Rodney Alexander Rodney McKinnie Alexander is an American politician currently affiliated with the Republican Party. He has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003. He represents the 5th District of Louisiana, which covers twenty-two parishes in roughly the northeast quadrant of the... , Louisiana Ken Calvert Ken Calvert Kenneth Stanton Calvert , an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing California's 44th congressional district... , California Jo Bonner Jo Bonner Josiah Robins Bonner, Jr. , American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing .-Life:... , Alabama Steve LaTourette Steve LaTourette Steven C. "Steve" LaTourette is an American politician from Ohio. A Republican, he is a member of the U.S... , Ohio Tom Cole Tom Cole Thomas Jeffery Cole is a politician from the state of Oklahoma, currently representing Oklahoma's 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Cole, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2006-2008, was, during his tenure, the fourth-ranking... , Oklahoma

Sources: electing majority members to standing committees electing minority members to standing committees

Committee reorganization during the 110th Congress

In 2007, the number of subcommittees was expanded to 12 in 2007 at the start of the 110th Congress

110th United States Congress

The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of...

. This reorganization, developed by Chairman David Obey and his Senate counterpart, Robert Byrd, for the first time provided for common subcommittee structures between both houses, a move that both chairmen hope will allow Congress to "complete action on each of the government funding on time for the first time since 1994."

The new structure adds a new Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government transfers jurisdiction over Legislative Branch appropriations from the full committee to the newly reinstated Legislative Branch Subcommittee, which last existed during the 108th Congress

108th United States Congress

The One Hundred Eighth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2005, during the last two years of the first administration of...

.

Subcommittees

Subcommittee	Chair	Ranking Member Ranking member In United States politics, the term ranking member refers to the second-most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the majority party. Another, incorrect, usage refers to the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party...
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies	Rosa DeLauro Rosa DeLauro Rosa L. DeLauro , American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1991, representing . The district is based in New Haven, and includes most of that city's suburbs....  (D-CT)	Jack Kingston Jack Kingston John Heddens Kingston , Republican politician, has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing .- Early life and background:...  (R-GA)
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies The United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies is a standing committee of the U.S. House subcommittees and is within the United States House Committee on Appropriations.-Current members, 111th Congress:...	Alan Mollohan Alan Mollohan Alan Bowlby Mollohan is a Democratic member of United States House of Representatives, representing West Virginia's . The district encompasses the northern part of the state; it based in Wheeling and includes Parkersburg, Morgantown, Fairmont and Clarksburg...  (D-WV)	Frank Wolf (R-VA)
Defense United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense The House Subcommittee on Defense is a standing subcommittee within the United States House Committee on Appropriations.-Current members, 111th Congress:-External links:* Official page...	John Murtha John Murtha John Patrick “Jack” Murtha, Jr. is an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, has represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 1974...  (D-PA)	C.W. Bill Young (R-FL)
Energy and Water Development United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development The House Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies is a standing subcommittee within the House Appropriations Committee.-Current members, 111th Congress:-External links:* Official page...	Pete Visclosky Pete Visclosky Peter John "Pete" Visclosky is an American politician who will be serving his twelfth term in the United States House of Representatives for . The First District lies in Northwest Indiana and includes all of Lake, Newton, Jasper and Benton counties as well as a major portion of Porter County. Much...  (D-IN)	Rodney Frelinghuysen Rodney Frelinghuysen Rodney P. Frelinghuysen is an American Republican Party politician, who has served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing since 1995.-Biography:...  (R-NJ)
Financial Services and General Government United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Service and General Government is a subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations. It was created in 2007 align the operations of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees...	José Serrano José Serrano José Enrique Serrano is a New York politician, currently representing the state's 16th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. His son, José M...  (D-NY)	Jo Ann Emerson Jo Ann Emerson Jo Ann Emerson is an American politician from the U.S. state of Missouri currently serving her seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She represents which consists of Southeast and South Central Missouri and includes the Bootheel, the Lead Belt and the Ozarks...  (R-MO)
Homeland Security United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security The House Subcommittee on Homeland Security is a standing subcommittee within the House Appropriations Committee.-Members, 111th Congress:-External links:**...	David Price David Price -Military:*David Price , East India Company officer and orientalist*David Price , British Rear Admiral at the Siege of Petropavlovsk- Politics :...  (D-NC)	Hal Rogers Hal Rogers Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers , American politician,has been a Republican member of theUnited States House of Representatives since 1981,representing the...  (R-KY)
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies The House Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies is a standing subcommittee within the House Appropriations Committee.-Current members, 111th Congress:-External links:**...	Norman Dicks (D-WA)	Mike Simpson Mike Simpson Michael Keith "Mike" Simpson, D.M.D. , has been a Republican United States Representative from Idaho since 1999. Simpson represents ....  (R-ID)
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies	David Obey (D-WI)	Todd Tiahrt Todd Tiahrt Todd Tiahrt , American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995, representing...  (R-KS)
Legislative Branch United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch The United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch is a standing subcommittee within the House Appropriations Committee.-Current members, 111th Congress:-External links:**...	Debbie Wasserman Schultz Debbie Wasserman Schultz Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a Florida Democrat elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2004, representing . The district includes portions of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. She was born in Forest Hills, Queens in New York City and grew up on Long Island. She currently lives in...  (D-FL)	Robert Aderholt Robert Aderholt Robert Brown Aderholt is an American politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing...  (R-AL)
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies	Chet Edwards Chet Edwards Thomas Chester "Chet" Edwards is a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives from the 17th District of Texas, based about Waco, Edwards represented Texas's 11th District from 1991 to 2005 and has since been elected in the 17th District. The district includes the town of...  (D-TX)	Zach Wamp Zach Wamp Zachary Paul "Zach" Wamp is a Republican politician representing the 3rd Congressional district of Tennessee since 1995. The district is based in Chattanooga and includes large parts of East Tennessee, including Oak Ridge.-Early life, education and early career:Wamp was born in Fort Benning,...  (R-TN)
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs The House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs is a standing subcommittee within the House Appropriations Committee. Prior to 2008, it was known as the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs....	Nita Lowey Nita Lowey Nita M. Lowey is a politician from the U.S. state of New York.Lowey was born in the Bronx in New York, New York and she graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor's degree...  (D-NY)	Kay Granger Kay Granger Kay Granger , a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Texas, currently represents the 12th congressional district in the U.S...  (R-TX)
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies	John Olver John Olver John Walter Olver , American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1991, representing , a primarily rural district that makes up most of Western Massachusetts....  (D-MA)	Tom Latham Tom Latham Thomas "Tom" Latham , American politician, has been a Republican member of theUnited States House of Representatives since 1995, representing ....  (R-IA)

Chairmen, 1865-present

Chairman		Party	State	Years	Thaddeus Stevens Thaddeus Stevens Thaddeus Stevens , of Pennsylvania, was a Republican leader and one of the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives...	Republican	Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...	1865 – 1868	Elihu B. Washburne Elihu B. Washburne Elihu Benjamin Washburne was one of seven brothers that played a prominent role in the early formation of the United States Republican Party...	Republican	Illinois Illinois Illinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...	1868 – 1869	Henry L. Dawes Henry L. Dawes Henry Laurens Dawes was a Republican United States Senator and United States Representative, notable for the Dawes Act.-Biography:...	Republican	Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...	1869 – 1871	James A. Garfield	Republican	Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...	1871 – 1875	Samuel J. Randall Samuel J. Randall Samuel Jackson Randall was a Pennsylvania politician, attorney, soldier, and a prominent Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives during the late 19th century. He served as the 33rd Speaker of the House and a contender for his party's nomination for the President of the...	Democratic	Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...	1875 – 1876	William S. Holman William S. Holman William Steele Holman was a lawyer, judge and politician from Dearborn County, Indiana. He was a member of the Democratic Party who served as a U.S. Representative from 1859 to 1865, 1867 to 1877, 1881 to 1895, and 1897, spanning sixteen Congresses...	Democratic	Indiana Indiana Indiana is a U.S. state, the 19th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16th in population and 17th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area, and is the...	1876 – 1877	John D. C. Atkins	Democratic	Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...	1877 – 1881	Frank Hiscock Frank Hiscock For his nephew, the New York Chief Judge, see Frank H. HiscockFrank Hiscock was a U.S. Representative and Senator from New York....	Republican	New York New York New York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...	1881 – 1883	Samuel J. Randall Samuel J. Randall Samuel Jackson Randall was a Pennsylvania politician, attorney, soldier, and a prominent Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives during the late 19th century. He served as the 33rd Speaker of the House and a contender for his party's nomination for the President of the...	Democratic	Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...	1883 – 1889	Joseph G. Cannon	Republican	Illinois Illinois Illinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...	1889 – 1891	William S. Holman William S. Holman William Steele Holman was a lawyer, judge and politician from Dearborn County, Indiana. He was a member of the Democratic Party who served as a U.S. Representative from 1859 to 1865, 1867 to 1877, 1881 to 1895, and 1897, spanning sixteen Congresses...	Democratic	Indiana Indiana Indiana is a U.S. state, the 19th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16th in population and 17th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area, and is the...	1891 – 1893	Joseph D. Sayers Joseph D. Sayers Joseph Draper Sayers was governor of Texas from 1899 to 1903. During Sayers's term, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 demolished that city.-Early years:...	Democratic	Texas Texas Texas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...	1893 – 1895	Joseph G. Cannon	Republican	Illinois Illinois Illinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...	1895 – 1903	James A. Hemenway James A. Hemenway James Alexander Hemenway was a United States Representative and Senator from Indiana. Born in Boonville, Indiana, he attended the common schools, studied law, and was admitted to the bar, commencing practice in Boonville in 1885...	Republican	Indiana Indiana Indiana is a U.S. state, the 19th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16th in population and 17th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area, and is the...	1903 – 1905	James Albertus Tawney James Albertus Tawney James Albertus Tawney was a U.S. politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota. He was the first House Majority Whip, holding that position from 1899 to 1905....	Republican	Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.2 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the...	1905 – 1911	John J. Fitzgerald John J. Fitzgerald John Joseph Fitzgerald was a United States Representative from New York. Born in Brooklyn, he attended the public schools, La Salle Military Academy , and graduated from Manhattan College in 1891. He studied law in the New York Law School, was admitted to the bar in 1893 and commenced practice in...	Democratic	New York New York New York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...	1911 – 1917	J. Swagar Sherley J. Swagar Sherley Joseph Swagar Sherley was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Sherley attended the public schools....	Democratic	Kentucky Kentucky The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...	1917 – 1919	James W. Good	Republican	Iowa Iowa Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of...	1919 – 1921	Martin B. Madden Martin B. Madden Martin Barnaby Madden was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Wolviston, Stockton-on-Tees, England, Madden immigrated to the United States with his parents, who settled in Chicago, Illinois, in 1860. He attended the public schools in Chicago and was graduated from Bryant and Stratton...	Republican	Illinois Illinois Illinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...	1921 – 1928	Daniel R. Anthony, Jr.	Republican	Kansas Kansas Kansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was...	1928 – 1929	William R. Wood William R. Wood (Indiana) William Robert Wood was a U.S. Representative from Indiana.Born in Oxford, Indiana, Wood attended the public schools of Oxford...	Republican	Indiana Indiana Indiana is a U.S. state, the 19th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16th in population and 17th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area, and is the...	1929 – 1931	Joseph W. Byrns	Democratic	Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...	1931 – 1933	James P. Buchanan James P. Buchanan James Paul Buchanan served as U.S. Representative from the 10th district of Texas from 1913 until his death on 22 February 1937. He was the chair of the Appropriations committee from 1933 on....	Democratic	Texas Texas Texas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...	1933 – 1937	Edward T. Taylor Edward T. Taylor Edward Thomas Taylor was a U.S. Representative from Colorado.Taylor was born on a farm near Metamora, Illinois. He attended the common schools of Illinois and Kansas, and graduated from the high school at Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1881. Taylor moved to Leadville, Colorado and was principal of...	Democratic	Colorado Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. It may also be considered to be part of the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States. Colorado entered statehood in 1876 and was nicknamed the “Centennial State”...	1937 – 1941	Clarence Cannon Clarence Cannon Clarence Andrew Cannon was a Democratic Congressmember from Missouri. He was a notable parliamentarian and chaired the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations.-Biography:...	Democratic	Missouri Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....	1941 – 1947	John Taber John Taber ----John Taber was an member of the United States House of Representatives from New York....	Republican	New York New York New York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...	1947 – 1949	Clarence Cannon Clarence Cannon Clarence Andrew Cannon was a Democratic Congressmember from Missouri. He was a notable parliamentarian and chaired the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations.-Biography:...	Democratic	Missouri Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....	1949 – 1953	John Taber John Taber ----John Taber was an member of the United States House of Representatives from New York....	Republican	New York New York New York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...	1953 – 1955	Clarence Cannon Clarence Cannon Clarence Andrew Cannon was a Democratic Congressmember from Missouri. He was a notable parliamentarian and chaired the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations.-Biography:...	Democratic	Missouri Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....	1955 – 1964	George H. Mahon George H. Mahon George Herman Mahon was a Texas politician who served twenty-two consecutive terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives from the Lubbock-based 19th congressional district....	Democratic	Texas Texas Texas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...	1964 – 1979	Jamie L. Whitten Jamie L. Whitten Jamie Lloyd Whitten was a United States Representative from Mississippi, who was of English and Swedish descent. He is the second-longest serving U.S. Representative ever and the fourth longest serving U.S. member of Congress ever.Jamie Whitten was born in Cascilla, Mississippi...	Democratic	Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi is a state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The state's name comes from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, and takes its name from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi . The state is heavily forested outside of the...	1979 – 1993	William H. Natcher	Democratic	Kentucky Kentucky The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...	1993 – 1994	David R. Obey	Democratic	Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin is one of the fifty U.S. states. Located in the north-central United States, Wisconsin is considered part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the...	1994 – 1995	Bob Livingston Bob Livingston Robert Linlithgow Livingston Jr. , is a Washington, D.C.-based lobbyist and a former Republican U.S. Representative from Louisiana. He was chosen as Newt Gingrich's successor as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives late in 1998, but chose instead to withdraw and retire after...	Republican	Louisiana Louisiana The State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...	1995 – 1999	C.W. Bill Young	Republican	Florida Florida Florida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...	1999 – 2005	Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis (politician) Charles Jeremy Lewis , an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1979, representing the ....	Republican	California California California is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...	2005 – 2007	David R. Obey	Democratic	Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin is one of the fifty U.S. states. Located in the north-central United States, Wisconsin is considered part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the...	2007 – present

External links

• Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives