Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman to Resign

Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) has announced his resignation from Congress because of health reasons. Cochran, a seven-term Senator, will end a four-decade long congressional career on April 1, 2018. Cochran stated that he planned his departure based on the conclusion of work on the fiscal year 2018 omnibus spending package that has a March 23 deadline to pass. Governor Phil Bryant (R-MS), will name an interim replacement to take Cochran’s place until the November elections. The next most senior Republican member on the spending panel, Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), is expected to replace Cochran as the chairman. The final decision will be approved by a vote of the full Senate GOP conference. Shelby, a sixth-term lawmaker, currently leads the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee and has tried to direct more funding towards the National Aeronautics and Space Administration facilities in his state. In the past, he has avoided ideological debates over federal spending on climate change-related issues. Shelby is widely considered a dealmaker with a record of using his position on the Appropriations Committee to direct federal dollars to his home state.      
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news