Senate Appropriations Committee
Standing committee
Active

United States Senate
118th Congress
History
FormedMarch 6, 1867
Leadership
ChairPatty Murray (D)
Since January 3, 2023
Vice chairSusan Collins (R)
Since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats28 members
Political partiesMajority (15)
  •   Democratic (15)
Minority (14)
Jurisdiction
Policy areasAppropriations bills, Discretionary spending, Rescission bills
Oversight authorityFederal government of the United States
House counterpartHouse Committee on Appropriations
Meeting place
304 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C., S-128 United States Capitol
Washington, D.C.
Website
www.appropriations.senate.gov

    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 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. 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

    Former Committee Chairman 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.
    Ted Stevens was especially noted for his ability to use his Appropriations chairmanship 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).[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

    Majority[4] Minority[5]

    Subcommittees

    Subcommittee[8] Chair Ranking Member
    Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Martin Heinrich (D-NM) John Hoeven (R-ND)
    Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Jerry Moran (R-KS)
    Defense Jon Tester (D-MT) Susan Collins (R-ME)
    Energy and Water Development Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) John Kennedy (R-LA)
    Financial Services and General Government Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) Bill Hagerty (R-TN)
    Homeland Security Chris Murphy (D-CT) Katie Britt (R-AL)
    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Jeff Merkley (D-OR) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
    Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
    Legislative Branch Jack Reed (D-RI) Deb Fischer (R-NE)
    Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Patty Murray (D-WA) John Boozman (R-AR)
    State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Chris Coons (D-DE) Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
    Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Brian 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

    Vice Chairman Robert Byrd, Patrick Leahy & Chairman Ted Stevens meeting for FY98 Appropriations in 1997
    Congress Chair Party State Vice Chair Party State
    40th Lot Morrill Republican Maine Cornelius Cole Republican California
    41st William Pitt Fessenden

    until September 8, 1869

    Republican Maine William Sprague IV Republican Rhode Island
    Lot Morrill

    from September 8, 1869

    Republican Maine
    42nd Cornelius Cole Republican California William Windom Republican Minnesota
    43rd Lot Morrill

    until July 7, 1876

    Republican Maine William Allison Republican Iowa
    44th Stephen W. Dorsey Democratic Arkansas
    William Windom

    from July 7, 1876

    Republican Minnesota
    45th Henry Davis Democratic West Virginia
    46th Henry Davis Democratic West Virginia William Windom Republican Minnesota
    47th William Allison Republican Iowa Henry Davis Democratic West Virginia
    48th James B. Beck Democratic Kentucky
    49th
    50th
    51st Francis Cockrell Democratic Missouri
    52nd
    53rd Francis Cockrell Democratic Missouri William Allison Republican Iowa
    54th William Allison

    until August 4, 1908

    Republican Iowa Francis Cockrell Democratic Missouri
    55th
    56th
    57th
    58th
    59th

    60th

    Henry Teller Democratic Colorado
    60th
    Eugene Hale

    from August 4, 1908

    Republican Maine
    61st Benjamin R. Tillman Democratic South Carolina
    62nd Francis E. Warren Republican Wyoming
    63rd Thomas S. Martin Democratic Virginia Francis E. Warren Republican Wyoming
    64th
    65th
    66th Francis E. Warren

    until November 24, 1929

    Republican Wyoming Lee Overman Democratic North Carolina
    67th
    68th
    69th
    70th

    71st

    71st William J. Harris Democratic Georgia
    Wesley L. Jones

    from November 24, 1929 until November 19, 1932

    Republican Washington
    72nd
    Frederick Hale

    from November 19, 1932

    Republican Maine
    73rd Carter Glass

    until May 28, 1946

    Democratic Virginia Frederick Hale Republican Maine
    74th
    75th
    76th
    77th Gerald P. Nye Republican North Dakota
    78th
    79th Styles Bridges Republican New Hampshire
    Kenneth McKellar

    from May 28, 1946

    Democratic Tennessee
    80th Styles Bridges Republican New Hampshire Kenneth McKellar Democratic Tennessee
    81st Kenneth McKellar Democratic Tennessee Styles Bridges Republican New Hampshire
    82nd
    83rd Styles Bridges Republican New Hampshire Carl Hayden Democratic Arizona
    84th Carl Hayden Democratic Arizona Styles Bridges

    until November 26, 1961

    Republican New Hampshire
    85th
    86th
    87th
    Leverett Saltonstall

    from November 26, 1961

    Republican Massachusetts
    88th
    89th
    90th Milton Young Republican North Dakota
    91st Richard B. Russell Democratic Georgia
    92nd Allen J. Ellender

    until July 27, 1972

    Democratic Louisiana
    John L. McClellan

    from July 27, 1972

    Democratic Arkansas
    93rd
    94th
    95th Warren G. Magnuson Democratic Washington
    96th
    97th Mark O. Hatfield Republican Oregon William Proxmire Democratic Wisconsin
    98th John C. Stennis Democratic Mississippi
    99th
    100th John C. Stennis Democratic Mississippi Mark O. Hatfield Republican Oregon
    101st Robert C. Byrd Democratic West Virginia
    102nd
    103rd
    104th Mark O. Hatfield Republican Oregon Robert C. Byrd Democratic West Virginia
    105th Ted Stevens Republican Alaska
    106th
    107th Robert C. Byrd

    until January 20, 2001

    Democratic West Virginia Ted Stevens

    until January 20, 2001

    Republican Alaska
    Ted Stevens

    from January 20, 2001 until June 6, 2001

    Republican Alaska Robert C. Byrd

    from January 20, 2001 until June 6, 2001

    Democratic West Virginia
    Robert C. Byrd

    from June 6, 2001

    Democratic West Virginia Ted Stevens

    from June 6, 2001

    Republican Alaska
    108th Ted Stevens Republican Alaska Robert C. Byrd Democratic West Virginia
    109th Thad Cochran Republican Mississippi
    110th Robert C. Byrd Democratic West Virginia Thad Cochran Republican Mississippi
    111th Daniel K. Inouye

    until December 17, 2012

    Democratic Hawaii
    112th
    Barbara Mikulski

    from December 17, 2012

    Democratic Maryland
    113th Richard Shelby Republican Alabama
    114th Thad Cochran

    until April 1, 2018

    Republican Mississippi Barbara Mikulski Democratic Maryland
    115th Patrick Leahy Democratic Vermont
    Richard Shelby

    from April 10, 2018

    Republican Alabama
    116th
    117th Patrick Leahy Democratic Vermont Richard Shelby Republican Alabama
    118th Patty Murray Democratic Washington Susan Collins Republican Maine

    Historical membership rosters

    117th Congress

    Majority Minority

    116th Congress

    Majority Minority

    115th Congress

    Majority Minority

    Source :"U.S. Senate: Committee on Appropriations". Senate.gov. Retrieved April 11, 2018.

    114th Congress

    Majority Minority

    Source: 2013 Congressional Record, Vol. 159, Page S296

    113th Congress

    Majority Minority

    Source:[10]

    112th Congress

    Majority Minority

    111th Congress

    Majority Minority

    110th Congress

    Majority Minority

    109th Congress

    Majority Minority

    See also

    References

    1. 1 2 McGowan, Matthew (2008). "Senate Manual of the United States Senate" (PDF). United States Senate. pp. 26–27. Retrieved May 31, 2019. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
    2. "The U.S. Constitution | Constitution Center". National Constitution Center – constitutioncenter.org.
    3. Stith, Kate. "Article I, Section 9, Clause 7, United States Constitution: Appropriations Clause". National Constitution Center. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
    4. S.Res. 30 (118th Congress)
    5. S.Res. 31 (118th Congress)
    6. Kyrsten Sinema is an independent but caucuses with the Democrats.
    7. "Majority Leader Schumer Announces New Senate Democratic Committee Assignments". Senate Democrats. October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
    8. "Subcommittees | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations". U.S. Senate: Committee on Appropriations. March 4, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
    9. "Committee Members | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations". www.appropriations.senate.gov.
    10. "U.S. Senate: Committee on Appropriations". www.senate.gov. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
    ^ "Overview of the Committee's role". U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. Archived from the original on October 13, 2005. Retrieved October 14, 2005.
    ^ "Creation of the Senate Committee on Appropriations". U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. Archived from the original on September 27, 2005. Retrieved October 14, 2005.
    ^ Courtney Mabeus. "Buying Leadership". Capital Eye. Retrieved October 14, 2005.
    ^ Rosenbaum, David E. (February 9, 2005). "Call it Pork or Necessity, but Alaska Comes Out Far Above the Rest in Spending". New York Times.
    ^ "Senate, House Appropriations Set Subcommittee Plans for New Congress". U.S. House Committee on Appropriations. Archived from the original on January 31, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
    ^ "Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Rosters Set". National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
    ^ "Daniel Inouye Dies". Politico. December 17, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.

    Further reading

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