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Race for Appropriations ranking member heats up

by Niv Elis - 11/09/18 3:09 PM ET

The race among Republicans for the top minority party slot on the powerful House Appropriations Committee is heating up.

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) on Friday planned to announce that he is running for ranking member of the committee, which governs federal spending. Adherholt currently chairs the Appropriations Committee’s agriculture subcommittee in the outgoing Congress.

He will face tough competition from Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who leads the labor subcommittee, which deals with the largest of the nondefense bills.

Cole circulated a video to colleagues touting his success in getting the labor bill out of committee and working across the aisle.

On Thursday, Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.), who chairs the financial services subcommittee, threw his hat into the ring, promising “to fight Democrats every step of the way” and “punching the ‘No’ button a lot.”

For his part, Aderholt referred to himself as “the most senior Republican seeking the position” and sought to draw a contrast to presumed chairwoman, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), in a “Dear Colleague” letter.

He also promised a close relationship with the White House: “When Leadership sees an opening to achieve a goal with the White House, I will be the Committee’s voice to advance that.”

The House Appropriations Committee is responsible for approving all discretionary spending, roughly $1.4 trillion divided into defense and nondefense categories.

Tags Nita Lowey Robert Aderholt Tom Cole Tom Graves