United States Senate Committee on Appropriations

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Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. congressional committee The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, informally known as the Senate Appropriations Committee, is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate.

File:W corr1 us capitol.jpg
The entrance to the Appropriations Committee Suite in the United States Capitol

The Senate Appropriations Committee is the largest committee in the U.S. Senate, with 30 members in the 117th Congress. Its role is defined by the U.S. Constitution, which requires "appropriations made by law" prior to the expenditure of any money from the Treasury, and the committee is therefore one of the most powerful committees in the Senate.Template:Ref The committee was first organized on March 6, 1867, when power over appropriations was taken out of the hands of the Finance Committee.Template:Ref

The chair of the Appropriations Committee has enormous power to bring home special projects (sometimes referred to as "pork barrel spending") for their state as well as having the final say on other senators' appropriation requests.Template:Ref For example, in fiscal year 2005, per capita federal spending in Alaska, the home state of Chair Ted Stevens, was $12,000, double the national average. Alaska has 11,772 special earmarked projects for a combined cost of $15,780,623,000. This represents about four percent of the overall spending in the $388 billion Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 passed by Congress.Template:Ref

From 2001 to 2021, every Senate Majority Leader was a previous or concurrently serving member of the Appropriations Committee: Tom Daschle (committee member, 1991–1999; majority leader, 2001–2003), Bill Frist (committee member, 1995–2002; majority leader, 2003–2007), Harry Reid (committee member, 1989–2006; majority leader, 2007–2015), and Mitch McConnell (current committee member; majority leader, 2015–2021).

Appropriations process

File:GATES APPRO.jpg
Former Committee Chair Robert Byrd (D-WV, far right) shakes hands with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates while Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT, center right) and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) look on. The hearing was held to discuss further funding for the War in Iraq.
File:Appropriations Chair, Ted Stevens, in 1997.jpg
Ted Stevens was especially noted for his ability to use his Appropriations chair to bring home federal dollars for the state of Alaska.

The federal budget is divided into two main categories: discretionary spending and mandatory spending. Each appropriations subcommittee develops a draft appropriations bill covering each agency under its jurisdiction based on the Congressional Budget Resolution, which is drafted by an analogous Senate Budget committee. Each subcommittee must adhere to the spending limits set by the budget resolution and allocations set by the full Appropriations Committee, though the full Senate may vote to waive those limits if 60 senators vote to do so. The committee also reviews supplemental spending bills (covering unforeseen or emergency expenses not previously budgeted).

Each appropriations bill must be passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the president prior to the start of the federal fiscal year, October 1. If that target is not met, as has been common in recent years, the committee drafts a continuing resolution, which is then approved by Congress and signed by the president to keep the federal government operating until the individual bills are approved.

Jurisdiction

In accordance of Rule XXV of the United States Senate, all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects is referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations:

  1. Appropriation of the revenue for the support of the Government, except as provided in subparagraph (e);
  2. Rescission of appropriations contained in appropriation Acts (referred to in section 105 of title 1, United States Code);
  3. The amount of new spending authority described in section 401(c)(2) (A) and (B) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 which is to be effective for a fiscal year; and,
  4. New spending authority described in section 401(c)(2)(C) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 provided in bills and resolutions referred to the committee under section 401(b)(2) of that Act (but subject to the provisions of section 401(b)(3) of that Act).<ref name="US Senate">Template:Cite web Template:PD-notice</ref>

Likewise, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution, clearly vesting the power of the purse in Congress, states: "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law...and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time."<ref name="US Senate"/> This clause is the foundation for the congressional appropriations process and the fundamental source of the Senate Appropriations Committee's institutional power – as is the same with its counterpart in the lower house.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In other words, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution charges the United States Congress with the legislative duty of controlling government spending separate from the executive branch of government – a significant check and balance in the American constitutional system.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Members, 119th Congress

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Majority<ref>Template:USBill (119th Congress)</ref> Minority<ref>Template:USBill (119th Congress)</ref>
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Subcommittees

Subcommittee<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Chair Ranking Member
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies John Hoeven (R-ND) Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Jerry Moran (R-KS) Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Defense Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Chris Coons (D-DE)
Energy and Water Development John Kennedy (R-LA) Patty Murray (D-WA)
Financial Services and General Government Bill Hagerty (R-TN) Jack Reed (D-RI)
Homeland Security Katie Britt (R-AL) Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Legislative Branch Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies John Boozman (R-AR) Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

Committee reorganization during the 110th Congress

At the outset of the 110th Congress, Chair Robert Byrd and Chair Dave Obey, his counterpart on the House Appropriations Committee, developed a committee reorganization plan that provided for common subcommittee structures between both houses, a move that both the chairs hope will allow Congress to "complete action on each of the government funding on time for the first time since 1994."Template:RefTemplate:Ref The subcommittees were last overhauled between the 107th and 108th Congresses, after the creation of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security and again during the 109th Congress, when the number of subcommittees was reduced from 13 to 12.

A key part of the new subcommittee organization was the establishment of a new Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, which consolidates funding for the Treasury Department, the United States federal judiciary, and the District of Columbia. These functions were previously handled by two separate Senate subcommittees.

Committee leadership

File:Byrd (D-WV), Leahy (D-VT), Stevens (R-AK).jpg
Vice Chair Robert Byrd, Patrick Leahy and Chair Ted Stevens meeting for FY98 Appropriations in 1997

Former chairs and vice chairs are listed below.<ref name="Appropriations History">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Congressional Committees">Template:Cite book</ref>

Chairs
Name Party State Start End
Template:Sortname Republican ME 1867 1869
Template:Sortname Republican ME 1869<ref>Died September 8, 1869.</ref>
Template:Sortname Republican ME 1869 1871
Template:Sortname Republican CA 1871 1873
Template:Sortname Republican ME 1873 1876<ref>Resigned July 7, 1876.</ref>
Template:Sortname Republican MN 1876 1879
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 1879 1881
Template:Sortname Republican IA 1881 1893
Template:Sortname Democratic MO 1893 1895
Template:Sortname Republican IA 1895 1908<ref>Died August 4, 1908.</ref>
Template:Sortname Republican ME 1908 1911
Template:Sortname Republican WY 1911 1913
Template:Sortname Democratic VA 1913 1919
Template:Sortname Republican WY 1919 1929
Template:Sortname Republican WA 1929 1932
Template:Sortname Republican ME 1932 1933
Template:Sortname Democratic VA 1933 1946<ref>Died May 28, 1946.</ref>
Template:Sortname Democratic TN 1946 1947
Template:Sortname Republican NH 1947 1949
Template:Sortname Democratic TN 1949 1953
Template:Sortname Republican NH 1953 1955
Template:Sortname Democratic AZ 1955 1969
Template:Sortname Democratic GA 1969 1971<ref>Died January 21, 1971.</ref>
Template:Sortname Democratic LA 1971 1972<ref>Died July 27, 1972.</ref>
Template:Sortname Democratic AR 1972 1977<ref>Died November 28, 1977.</ref>
Template:Sortname Democratic WA 1977 1981
Template:Sortname Republican OR 1981 1987
Template:Sortname Democratic MS 1987 1989
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 1989 1995
Template:Sortname Republican OR 1995 1997
Template:Sortname Republican AK 1997 2001
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 2001<ref name="Jan. 2001">At the beginning of the 107th Congress in January 2001 the Senate was evenly divided. With a Democratic president and vice president still serving until January 20, the Democratic vice president was available to break a tie, and the Democrats thus controlled the Senate for 17 days, from January 3 to January 20. On January 3 the Senate adopted S. Res. 7 designating Democratic senators as committee chairs to serve during this period and Republican chairs to serve effective at noon on January 20, 2001.</ref>
Template:Sortname Republican AK 2001<ref name="Jan. 2001"/>
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 2001<ref name="June 2001">On June 6, 2001, the Democrats took control of the Senate after Senator James Jeffords (VT) switched from the

Republican Party to Independent and announced that he would caucus with the Democrats.</ref>

2003
Template:Sortname Republican AK 2003 2005
Template:Sortname Republican MS 2005 2007
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 2007 2009
Template:Sortname Democratic HI 2009 2012<ref>Died December 17, 2012.</ref>
Template:Sortname Democratic MD 2012 2015
Template:Sortname Republican MS 2015 2018<ref>Resigned April 1, 2018.</ref>
Template:Sortname Republican AL 2018 2021
Template:Sortname Democratic VT 2021 2023
Template:Sortname Democratic WA 2023 2025
Template:Sortname Republican ME 2025 present
Vice Chairs
Name Party State Start End
Template:Sortname Republican CA 1867 1869
Template:Sortname Republican RI 1869 1871
Template:Sortname Republican MN 1871 1873
Template:Sortname Republican IA 1873 1875
Template:Sortname Democratic AR 1875 1877
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 1877 1879
Template:Sortname Republican MN 1879 1881
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 1881 1883
Template:Sortname Democratic KY 1883 1889
Template:Sortname Democratic MO 1889 1893
Template:Sortname Republican IA 1893 1895
Template:Sortname Democratic MO 1895 1905
Template:Sortname Democratic CO 1905 1909
Template:Sortname Democratic SC 1909 1913
Template:Sortname Republican WY 1913 1919
Template:Sortname Democratic NC 1919 1930<ref>Died December 12, 1930.</ref>
Template:Sortname Democratic GA 1931 1932<ref>Died April 18, 1932.</ref>
Template:Sortname Democratic VA 1932 1933
Template:Sortname Republican ME 1933 1941
Template:Sortname Republican ND 1941 1945
Template:Sortname Republican NH 1945 1947
Template:Sortname Democratic TN 1947 1949
Template:Sortname Republican NH 1949 1953
Template:Sortname Democratic AZ 1953 1955
Template:Sortname Republican NH 1955 1961<ref>Died on November 26, 1961.</ref>
Template:Sortname Republican MA 1961 1967
Template:Sortname Republican ND 1967 1981
Template:Sortname Democratic WI 1981 1983
Template:Sortname Democratic MS 1983 1987
Template:Sortname Republican OR 1987 1995
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 1995 2001
Template:Sortname Republican AK 2001<ref name="Jan. 2001"/>
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 2001<ref name="Jan. 2001"/>
Template:Sortname Republican AK 2001<ref name="June 2001"/> 2003
Template:Sortname Democratic WV 2003 2007
Template:Sortname Republican MS 2007 2013
Template:Sortname Republican AL 2013 2015
Template:Sortname Democratic MD 2015 2017
Template:Sortname Democratic VT 2017 2021
Template:Sortname Republican AL 2021 2023
Template:Sortname Republican ME 2023 2025
Template:Sortname Democratic WA 2025 present

Historical membership rosters

118th Congress

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Majority<ref>Template:USBill (118th Congress)</ref> Minority<ref>Template:USBill (118th Congress)</ref>
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117th Congress

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Majority Minority
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116th Congress

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Majority Minority
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115th Congress

Majority Minority
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Source :Template:Cite web

114th Congress

Majority Minority
Template:Party shading/Republican valign=top | Template:Party shading/Democratic valign=top |

Source: Template:USCongRec

113th Congress

Majority Minority
Template:Party shading/Democratic valign=top | Template:Party shading/Republican valign=top |

Source:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

112th Congress

Majority Minority
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111th Congress

Majority Minority
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110th Congress

Majority Minority
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109th Congress

Majority Minority
Template:Party shading/Republican valign="top" | Template:Party shading/Democratic valign="top" |

See also

References

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Further reading

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