United States Senate Committee on Appropriations

United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
Committee	United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
Congress	118th United States Congress
Formed	March 6, 1867
Chairperson	Patty Murray (D)
Chairperson term	since January 3, 2023
Ranking member	Susan Collins (R)
Ranking member term	since January 3, 2023
Seats	30 members
Policy areas	Appropriations bills, Discretionary spending, Federal budget of the United States
Oversight	United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Management and Budget
Counterpart	United States House Committee on Appropriations
Website	appropriations.senate.gov

Contents

History
Jurisdiction and responsibilities
Membership
Subcommittees
Chairmen
See also

United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. The committee is one of the most powerful in the United States Senate, holding the constitutional "power of the purse" by drafting legislation to fund the federal government. It is responsible for writing the annual appropriations bills that allocate discretionary spending across all Cabinet departments and federal agencies. The committee's work is critical to the operation of the United States government, influencing policy through its control over the dollar.

History

The committee was established on March 6, 1867, following the American Civil War, as the federal budget grew in size and complexity. Its creation separated the appropriations function from the United States Senate Committee on Finance, which retained jurisdiction over revenue and debt. Key historical moments include its role in funding the Spanish–American War, the New Deal programs of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Manhattan Project, and the Space Race. The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 formally established the modern budget process, cementing the committee's central role alongside the United States Senate Committee on the Budget.

Jurisdiction and responsibilities

The committee's primary jurisdiction is over all discretionary spending legislation not mandated by permanent law. This includes drafting the twelve regular appropriations bills that fund entities like the United States Department of Defense, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the United States Department of State. The committee also reviews supplemental spending bills for emergencies, such as disaster relief following Hurricane Katrina or the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, and continuing resolutions to prevent a government shutdown. It exercises oversight over the execution of the budget by the Executive Office and agencies.

Membership

For the 118th United States Congress, the committee has 30 members, with a partisan split reflecting the majority in the United States Senate. The current chair is Patty Murray of Washington, a member of the Democratic Party. The ranking member is Susan Collins of Maine, a Republican. Other notable members include Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Kennedy of Louisiana, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Membership is highly sought after due to the committee's influence over federal spending in members' home states.

Subcommittees

The committee operates through twelve subcommittees, each aligned with a major appropriations bill and corresponding federal departments. These are: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Defense; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Legislative Branch; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. Each subcommittee is chaired by a member of the majority party.

Chairmen

Notable chairmen throughout history include Francis E. Warren of Wyoming, who served for over a decade; Carl Hayden of Arizona, a key figure in funding the Interstate Highway System; Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the longest-serving senator and a master of the appropriations process; Ted Stevens of Alaska; Daniel Inouye of Hawaii; and Thad Cochran of Mississippi. The chairmanship has alternated between the Democratic and Republican parties based on control of the United States Senate.