Rep. Tom Cole announces House Appropriations Committee Chairman bid

Xavier Richardson/ KFOR
·2 min read

WASHINGTON (KFOR) — On Friday, U.S. Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) announced his candidacy for Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

“I have served on the Appropriations Committee for quite some time, beginning in January of 2009,” Cole said. “During that time, I chaired the largest domestic spending Subcommittee, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, where I was able to safeguard the right to life through protecting the Hyde Amendment. Additionally, I have served as Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, as well as Vice Chair of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. Finally, I have served as a senior member on the powerful Defense Subcommittee, which has the largest budget of any of the twelve subcommittees and over half of discretionary spending in the U.S.”

“It is safe to say – I know the Appropriations Committee very well. I have served on the Committee for the majority of my career, in a variety of different positions, and I firmly believe that those experiences will aid me going forward to do a respectable job as Chairman.”

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Cole’s announcement comes shortly after current House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) asking the GOP Steering Committee and Conference to select a new Chair of the Appropriations Committee.

“As I reflect on my time in the House of Representatives and more than 5 years as Ranking Member and now Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, I realize I have accomplished more than I ever could have imagined,” Granger said. “Earlier this year I announced that I will not seek re-election. As I said at the time, I will fulfill my commitment and serve through the end of this Congress.”

“Recognizing that and election year often results in final appropriations bills not getting enacted until well into the next fiscal year, it is important I do everything in my power to ensure a seamless transition before the FY25 bill development begins in earnest. I, therefore, respectfully request that as soon as possible, the GOP Steering Committee and Conference select a new Chair of the Appropriations Committee to serve out the remainder of the 118th Congress.”

As of Saturday afternoon, no other members of the Appropriations Committee have publicly thrown their hat in the ring for Committee Chair candidacy.

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