WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) has received the approval of his Republican colleagues to serve as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations for the 115th Congress.
The Senate Republican Conference met Thursday to ratify committee chairmen for the new Congress, and approved Cochran’s selection by members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to lead the committee for a third, two-year term as chairman.
The full Senate will next formally affirm Senate committee chairmen and rosters in an organizational resolution.
Senator Cochran said it is an honor to return to the position.
“I appreciate the responsibility placed in me to continue leading the Senate Appropriations Committee,” Cochran said. “This committee must be a good steward of taxpayer money. I am committed to working with all committee members to produce fiscally responsible bills for Senate consideration, and to provide rigorous oversight of funds appropriated by Congress.”
Senator Cochran added that he is excited about the upcoming administration.
“I also look forward to working with the Trump administration and our House counterparts to effectively use the appropriations process to meet national priorities, including national security and economic growth,” he said.
Cochran is now working to organize the Appropriations subcommittees. In order of committee seniority, Republican Senators on the committee are Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Richard Shelby of Alabama, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Jerry Moran of Kansas, John Hoeven of North Dakota, John Boozman of Arkansas, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Steve Daines of Montana, John Kennedy of Louisiana, and Marco Rubio of Florida.
Under Cochran’s leadership, the Senate Appropriations Committee completed work on all 12 appropriations bills in each session of the 114th Congress. Over the two-year course of that Congress, the committee conducted 156 hearings, began reporting bills early in the year, and gained Senate approval of individual appropriations bills for the first time in years.
Cochran previously served as chairman for the 109th and 114th Congresses, as well as vice chairman from the 110th through 112th Congresses.
