United States Senate Committee on Appropriations explained

Senate Appropriations Committee
Type:standing
Chamber:senate
Congress:118th
Status:active
Formed:March 6, 1867
Chair:Patty Murray
Chair Party:D
Chair Since:January 3, 2023
Vice Chair:Susan Collins
Vc Party:R
Vc Since:January 3, 2023
Seats:28 members
Majority1:D
Majority1 Seats:14
Majority2:I
Majority2 Seats:1
Minority1:R
Minority1 Seats:14
Policy Areas:Appropriations bills, Discretionary spending, Rescission bills
Oversight:Federal government of the United States
Counterpart:House Committee on Appropriations
Meeting Place:304 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C., S-128 United States Capitol
Washington, D.C.

The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate.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. The committee was first organized on March 6, 1867, when power over appropriations was taken out of the hands of the Finance Committee.

The chairman 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. For example, in fiscal year 2005 per capita federal spending in Alaska, the home state of then-Chairman 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.

From 2001 to 2021, every Senate Majority Leader has been 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), Mitch McConnell (current committee member; majority leader, 2015–2021).

The appropriations process

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).[1]

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."[1] 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.[2] 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.[3]

Members, 118th Congress

See main article: 118th United States Congress.

Subcommittees

Subcommittee[9] ChairRanking Member
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related AgenciesMartin Heinrich (D-NM)John Hoeven (R-ND)
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related AgenciesJeanne Shaheen (D-NH)Jerry Moran (R-KS)
DefenseJon Tester (D-MT)Susan Collins (R-ME)
Energy and Water DevelopmentPatty Murray (D-WA)John Kennedy (R-LA)
Financial Services and General GovernmentChris Van Hollen (D-MD)Bill Hagerty (R-TN)
Homeland SecurityChris Murphy (D-CT)Katie Britt (R-AL)
Interior, Environment, and Related AgenciesJeff Merkley (D-OR)Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related AgenciesTammy Baldwin (D-WI)Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
Legislative BranchJack Reed (D-RI)Deb Fischer (R-NE)
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related AgenciesPatty Murray (D-WA)John Boozman (R-AR)
State, Foreign Operations, and Related ProgramsChris Coons (D-DE)Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related AgenciesBrian Schatz (D-HI)Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)

Committee reorganization during the 110th Congress

At the outset of the 110th Congress, Chairman Robert Byrd and Chairman 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 chairmen hope will allow Congress to "complete action on each of the government funding on time for the first time since 1994." 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.

Chairs and Vice Chairs, 1867–present

CongressChairPartyStateVice ChairPartyState
40thLot MorrillRepublicanMaineCornelius ColeRepublicanCalifornia
41stWilliam Pitt Fessendenuntil September 8, 1869RepublicanMaineWilliam Sprague IVRepublicanRhode Island
Lot Morrillfrom September 8, 1869RepublicanMaine
42ndCornelius ColeRepublicanCaliforniaWilliam WindomRepublicanMinnesota
43rdLot Morrilluntil July 7, 1876RepublicanMaineWilliam AllisonRepublicanIowa
44thStephen W. DorseyDemocraticArkansas
William Windomfrom July 7, 1876RepublicanMinnesota
45thHenry DavisDemocraticWest Virginia
46thHenry DavisDemocraticWest VirginiaWilliam WindomRepublicanMinnesota
47thWilliam AllisonRepublicanIowaHenry DavisDemocraticWest Virginia
48thJames B. BeckDemocraticKentucky
49th
50th
51stFrancis CockrellDemocraticMissouri
52nd
53rdFrancis CockrellDemocraticMissouriWilliam AllisonRepublicanIowa
54thWilliam Allisonuntil August 4, 1908RepublicanIowaFrancis CockrellDemocraticMissouri
55th
56th
57th
58th
59th60thHenry TellerDemocraticColorado
60th
Eugene Halefrom August 4, 1908RepublicanMaine
61stBenjamin R. TillmanDemocraticSouth Carolina
62ndFrancis E. WarrenRepublicanWyoming
63rdThomas S. MartinDemocraticVirginiaFrancis E. WarrenRepublicanWyoming
64th
65th
66thFrancis E. Warrenuntil November 24, 1929RepublicanWyomingLee OvermanDemocraticNorth Carolina
67th
68th
69th
70th71st
71stWilliam J. HarrisDemocraticGeorgia
Wesley L. Jonesfrom November 24, 1929until November 19, 1932RepublicanWashington
72nd
Frederick Halefrom November 19, 1932RepublicanMaine
73rdCarter Glassuntil May 28, 1946DemocraticVirginiaFrederick HaleRepublicanMaine
74th
75th
76th
77thGerald P. NyeRepublicanNorth Dakota
78th
79thStyles BridgesRepublicanNew Hampshire
Kenneth McKellarfrom May 28, 1946DemocraticTennessee
80thStyles BridgesRepublicanNew HampshireKenneth McKellarDemocraticTennessee
81stKenneth McKellarDemocraticTennesseeStyles BridgesRepublicanNew Hampshire
82nd
83rdStyles BridgesRepublicanNew HampshireCarl HaydenDemocraticArizona
84thCarl HaydenDemocraticArizonaStyles Bridgesuntil November 26, 1961RepublicanNew Hampshire
85th
86th
87th
Leverett Saltonstallfrom November 26, 1961RepublicanMassachusetts
88th
89th
90thMilton YoungRepublicanNorth Dakota
91stRichard B. RussellDemocraticGeorgia
92ndAllen J. Ellenderuntil July 27, 1972DemocraticLouisiana
John L. McClellanfrom July 27, 1972DemocraticArkansas
93rd
94th
95thWarren G. MagnusonDemocraticWashington
96th
97thMark O. HatfieldRepublicanOregonWilliam ProxmireDemocraticWisconsin
98thJohn C. StennisDemocraticMississippi
99th
100thJohn C. StennisDemocraticMississippiMark O. HatfieldRepublicanOregon
101stRobert C. ByrdDemocraticWest Virginia
102nd
103rd
104thMark O. HatfieldRepublicanOregonRobert C. ByrdDemocraticWest Virginia
105thTed StevensRepublicanAlaska
106th
107thRobert C. Byrduntil January 20, 2001DemocraticWest VirginiaTed Stevensuntil January 20, 2001RepublicanAlaska
Ted Stevensfrom January 20, 2001until June 6, 2001RepublicanAlaskaRobert C. Byrdfrom January 20, 2001until June 6, 2001DemocraticWest Virginia
Robert C. Byrdfrom June 6, 2001DemocraticWest VirginiaTed Stevensfrom June 6, 2001RepublicanAlaska
108thTed StevensRepublicanAlaskaRobert C. ByrdDemocraticWest Virginia
109thThad CochranRepublicanMississippi
110thRobert C. ByrdDemocraticWest VirginiaThad CochranRepublicanMississippi
111thDaniel K. Inouyeuntil December 17, 2012DemocraticHawaii
112th
Barbara Mikulskifrom December 17, 2012DemocraticMaryland
113thRichard ShelbyRepublicanAlabama
114thThad Cochranuntil April 1, 2018RepublicanMississippiBarbara MikulskiDemocraticMaryland
115thPatrick LeahyDemocraticVermont
Richard Shelbyfrom April 10, 2018RepublicanAlabama
116th
117thPatrick LeahyDemocraticVermontRichard ShelbyRepublicanAlabama
118thPatty MurrayDemocraticWashingtonSusan CollinsRepublicanMaine

Historical membership rosters

117th Congress

See main article: 117th United States Congress.

116th Congress

See main article: 116th United States Congress.

115th Congress

Source :Web site: U.S. Senate: Committee on Appropriations. Senate.gov. April 11, 2018.

114th Congress

Source:

113th Congress

Source:[11]

109th Congress

See also

References

Web site: Overview of the Committee's role . U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations . October 14, 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20051013065730/http://appropriations.senate.gov/jurisdiction/jurisdiction.htm . October 13, 2005.

Web site: Creation of the Senate Committee on Appropriations . U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations . October 14, 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050927235752/http://appropriations.senate.gov/commhistory/commhistory.htm . September 27, 2005.

Web site: Courtney Mabeus . Buying Leadership . Capital Eye . October 14, 2005.

News: Rosenbaum . David E. . Call it Pork or Necessity, but Alaska Comes Out Far Above the Rest in Spending . February 9, 2005 . New York Times .

Web site: Senate, House Appropriations Set Subcommittee Plans for New Congress . U.S. House Committee on Appropriations . January 27, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070131202605/http://appropriations.house.gov/News/pr_070104.shtml . January 31, 2007.

Web site: Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Rosters Set . National Thoroughbred Racing Association . January 27, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083825/http://www.ntra.com/content.aspx?type=pac&style=red&id=22762 . September 29, 2007 .

Web site: Daniel Inouye Dies . December 17, 2012 . Politico . December 18, 2012.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: McGowan . Matthew . Senate Manual of the United States Senate . United States Senate . 26–27 . 31 May 2019 . 2008.
  2. Web site: The U.S. Constitution | Constitution Center. National Constitution Center – constitutioncenter.org.
  3. Web site: Stith. Kate. Article I, Section 9, Clause 7, United States Constitution: Appropriations Clause. National Constitution Center. March 11, 2021.
  4. (118th Congress)
  5. (118th Congress)
  6. Joe Manchin is an independent but caucuses with the Democrats.
  7. Kyrsten Sinema is an independent but caucuses with the Democrats.
  8. Web site: Majority Leader Schumer Announces New Senate Democratic Committee Assignments . Senate Democrats . October 17, 2023 . 18 October 2023.
  9. Web site: March 4, 2023 . Subcommittees United States Senate Committee on Appropriations . March 4, 2023 . U.S. Senate: Committee on Appropriations.
  10. Web site: Committee Members | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. www.appropriations.senate.gov.
  11. Web site: U.S. Senate: Committee on Appropriations. 2021-03-04. www.senate.gov.