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Newhouse Statement on Subcommittee Appointments for 115th Congress

January 12, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after his appointment to serve on the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch. The House Appropriations Committee exercises jurisdiction over all federal discretionary spending.

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve on the committee with responsibility for stewarding Americans' tax dollars," said Rep. Newhouse. "Serving on the House Committee on Appropriations gives Central Washington a greater voice in federal spending decisions, and it will allow me to address priorities on a wide range of key issues for the 4th Congressional District. The full committee funds all discretionary spending including federal agriculture programs, the Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Forest Service projects, as well as important areas such as animal and plant health programs, food product safety, rural development and farm services, marketplace oversight, and nutrition programs. The Energy and Water Development Subcommittee possesses jurisdiction over matters that are also vital for agriculture, such as the WaterSMART grant program, livestock grazing, water resources, and drought mitigation. Additionally, Energy and Water Development oversees spending for federal water projects and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Interior, and the Bureau of Reclamation, which will be critical for the next phase of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan and irrigation in the West. The Homeland Security Subcommittee provides an avenue to addressing ways to improve our broken immigration system. These subcommittee assignments will also ensure that federal responsibilities to support Hanford cleanup and the ground breaking scientific research and development at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are fulfilled."

The Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, chaired by Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), appropriates funding for the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, Bonneville Power Administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and other agencies. Click here for a complete list.

The Subcommittee on Homeland Security, chaired by Rep. John Carter (R-TX), appropriates all funding for the Department of Homeland Security and its agencies.

The Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, chaired by Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS), is responsible for federal appropriations for the offices of Members of the House of Representatives, the support agencies of Congress, security and police forces, services for visitors, and Capitol operations and maintenance. Click here for a complete list.

Although Rep. Newhouse will relinquish his current seats on the Agriculture Committee and the Natural Resources Committee in order to serve on House Appropriations, the Appropriations Committee jurisdiction includes appropriating for agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation.

Rep. Newhouse continues to serve on the House Committee on Rules.