House Democrats Select Next Appropriations Committee Chair

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the current Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee with jurisdiction over education spending, has been elected by her Democratic colleagues to chair the full Appropriations Committee for the 117th Congress. She will be only the second woman to chair that Committee, after current Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY).

As Chairwoman, DeLauro has pledged to make the appropriations process more transparent to her House colleagues and to better target resources to underserved and marginalized communities. She has also stated her willingness to return to federal earmarks, but with increased transparency.

As head of the Subcommittee that funds education, DeLauro fought hard for increases to education each year—even when there was little additional funding to distribute—and has been recognized as a champion within the education funding community. She received public endorsements in her race for Appropriations Chair from national organizations—including both the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, whose President Randi Weingarten remarked, “She has been a fierce, fierce advocate for working families and for education.”