Chairman Lewis Announces Major Reorganization of the House Appropriations Committee and Slate of Subcommittee Chairmen

(I-Newswire) February 10, 2005 - "This structure will allow us to spend less time on the floor and in committee and more time doing oversight over the expenditure of taxpayer funds. These changes will make it a little easier to get our work done on time and under budget. The greatest impact of this proposal falls on the two subcommittees I formerly chaired, VA-HUD and Defense. My decade of experience with the programs funded by these two subcommittees provided the insight to make some common-sense changes that will improve our stewardship of discretionary spending. I want to commend Chairman Cochran on the respectful and thoughtful manner in which he has worked with me on this proposal," said Chairman Lewis.

Summary of Reorganization Proposal

The functions of the District of Columbia; Legislative; and Veterans, Housing and Independent Agencies will merged into other subcommittees. The House Appropriations Committee will reorganize into 10 subcommittees chaired by the following Members:


Agriculture chaired by U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX)
Defense chaired by U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-FL)
Energy and Water chaired by U.S. Rep. David Hobson (R-OH)
Foreign Operations chaired by U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ)
Interior and Environment chaired by U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor (R-NC)
Homeland Security chaired by U.S. Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY)
Labor, Health and Human Services and Education chaired by U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH)
Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs chaired by U.S. Rep. James Walsh (R-NY)
Science, State, Justice and Commerce chaired by U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA)
Transportation, Treasury and Housing chaired by U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)

Funding for the District of Columbia will transfer to the Transportation and Treasury Subcommittee. Jurisdiction over Legislative Branch programs will assumed by the Full House Appropriations Committee. The programs and activities of the VA-HUD bill will spread to several existing subcommittees. Specifics of these changes are described below.

Energy and Water

The subcommittee will absorb all Department of Energy programs from the Interior subcommittee and also will handle Weatherization Assistance Grants formerly housed in the Labor, HHS Subcommittee. Interior and Environment

The following VA-HUD Subcommittee programs will transfer to the Interior and Environment Subcommittee:

1. Environmental Protection Agency
2. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
3. Council on Environmental Quality
4. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
5. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
6. White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance


Labor, Health and Human Services and Education

Americorps will transfer to Labor-HHS which currently has jurisdiction for all other activities of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs

The following programs of the current VA-HUD subcommittee will transfer the Military Quality of Life and Veteran Affairs subcommittee:

1. Veterans Affairs
2. American Battle Monuments Commission
3. Cemeterial Expenses, Army (Arlington Cemetery)
4. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims


The subcommittee will also absorb the following programs from the Defense Subcommittee:

1. Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
2. Facilities Sustainment, Repair and Modernization
3. Defense Health programs
4. Environmental programs


Science, State, Justice and Commerce

The subcommittee will absorb the following programs from VA-HUD:

1. NASA
2. National Science Foundation
3. Office of Science and Technology Policy


The Judiciary will transfer to Transportation-Treasury.

Transportation, Treasury and Housing

The following programs of the current VA-HUD subcommittee will transfer to Transportation, Treasury and Housing:

1. Housing and Urban Development
2. Community Development Financial Institutions
3. Federal Consumer Information Center
4. Selective Service Commission
5. Consumer Product Safety Commission
6. National Credit Union Administration
7. Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
8. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General


The subcommittee will also assume oversight over the District of Columbia and the Judiciary.

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