Shelby Confirmed as Chairman of U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) has been confirmed as chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations for the remainder of the 115th Congress.  Shelby previously served as vice chairman of the committee for the 113th Congress.

 “My colleagues have placed their trust in me to lead the Senate Appropriations Committee, and I am honored to serve our nation in this new capacity,” Shelby said in a statement.  “This is a remarkable opportunity.  I look forward to working with Vice Chairman Leahy and the entire committee as we continue the practice of writing and approving bills that responsibly allocate funding for the activities and duties of the federal government.”

In addition to serving as chairman of the full Committee on Appropriations, Shelby will also assume the chairmanship of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

“I am proud to take on a larger role, helping to secure funding to strengthen our military,” Shelby said. “With heightened global instability, as well as diverse and complex threats currently facing the United States, national security is of the utmost importance.”

It is the responsibility of the Senate Appropriations Committee to write funding bills and oversee the implementation of the legislation by the executive branch. The Subcommittee on Defense specifically focuses on national security priorities, providing the necessary funding to support our military and other defense operations.

Shelby replaces Thad Cochran, a Mississippi senator who resigned earlier this month because of health reasons.

Prior to becoming the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Shelby served as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, the Senate Banking Committee, and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.