SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES SUBCOMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS FOR SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced this afternoon her subcommittee assignments for the Senate Committee on Appropriations for the 113^th Congress. Shaheen will serve on the following subcommittees that will allow her oversight of the spending of taxpayer dollars: Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; and Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.  Shaheen will also serve as the Chair of the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.

“Reining our government spending is a critical priority and I am pleased that I will have a seat at the table to make sure spending decisions are made wisely and in the best interests of our taxpayers,” Shaheen said. “Our constituents expect us to use taxpayer dollars in an efficient and effective way to make sure they are getting a fair shake. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to make sure we are meeting that goal.”

The Appropriations Committee is responsible for allocating all discretionary funding for the domestic and defense sectors of the federal government. Shaheen, the only woman in American history to be elected both a Governor and a U.S. Senator, will be only the eighth senator from New Hampshire to serve on the Appropriations Committee.

Shaheen’s subcommittee assignments will allow her oversight of many issues she has focused on during her time in the Senate. As Chair of the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, Shaheen will oversee the functions of the Senate and its support agencies and address much-needed government reform. Shaheen introduced a bipartisan bill with Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) that would save the federal government approximately $500 million per year by reducing the amount the federal government can spend on buying and leasing non-essential vehicles.

A member of the Senate Committees Armed Services and Foreign Relations, she will also continue her work for smart spending in U.S. military operations and foreign assistance operations. Shaheen has successfully fought for increased oversight in Afghanistan reconstruction spending and introduced legislation requiring federal agencies with construction contracts in Afghanistan to publicly justify their actions when ignoring recommendations from Inspectors General. The United States Air Force is currently seeking reimbursement of $4.3 million in taxpayer dollars spent on poor contactor work in Afghanistan thanks to the findings of an internal investigation she requested.   

The subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science covers funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a program that Shaheen has been a vocal leader in supporting. The subcommittee also has jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which deals with issues of climate change and catch limits for New England fishermen, both issues of critical importance to Shaheen and New Hampshire.