Shelby approved as Appropriations panel chairman

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) was cleared Tuesday to be the next chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, according to an announcement from his office.

Shelby, the senior Republican on the committee in charge of federal spending, was approved to be the Appropriations chairman by his GOP colleagues. His ascension to the chairmanship was near certain following the retirement of the previous chairman, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), this month.

Shelby, in his sixth Senate term, said leading the committee “is a remarkable opportunity” and that he’s “honored to serve our nation in this new capacity.” He will serve beside Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the Appropriations Committee vice chairman.

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“I look forward to working with vice chairman Leahy and the entire committee as we continue the practice of writing and approving bills that responsibly allocate funding for the activities and duties of the federal government,” Shelby said.

Shelby will lead perhaps the most powerful Senate committee and wield substantial influence over government funding legislation, though a significant portion of the panel’s most pressing work for 2018 has been completed.

President Trump signed a bill last month to continue federal funding through September, which will likely be extended through the end of this session of Congress. Cochran retired from Congress shortly after the bill was signed. 

Shelby will likely remain the panel’s chairman following the midterm elections, assuming Republicans maintain control of the Senate. He has previously served as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.