Senator Sherrod Brown Tapped For Powerful Senate Appropriations Committee

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Contact: Meghan Dubyak

(202) 224-3978

SEN. BROWN TAPPED FOR POWERFUL SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

Only Six Ohioans Have Served on Senate Appropriations Committee, Which Sets Funding Levels for All Federal Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was selected by Majority Leader Harry Reid to serve on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. Brown will be seventh Ohioan in history to serve on the committee in its 140+ year history. He will join his colleague Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-OH), who has announced he will retire after this year. A vacancy on the committee was created after long-time Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) passed away last month.

“This is about Ohio getting its fair share of federal resources that promote economic development,” Brown said. “For too long, Ohio has been a donor state – with Ohio taxpayers supporting other states by paying out more in federal taxes than our state receives. This committee is critical for setting responsible federal priorities - protecting critical programs like Medicare and research at the National Institutes of Health. It’s critical to getting our budget back on track, and working alongside the business community to promote economic development. I look forward to joining my colleagues on the committee – including Chairman Inouye and Ranking Member Cochran – to ensure budget dollars are allocated in the most effective way possible to promote economic progress and fiscal stability. I’m honored by this appointment by Majority Leader Reid and look forward to joining the committee.”

The Appropriations Committee is responsible for setting funding levels for all federal programs. Because it is one of the most sought-after committees, members serving on the Senate Appropriations Committee often must give up other committee assignments. Brown also serves on the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, where is he chairman of the Economic Policy Subcommittee. He is the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in more than 40 years, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms. Brown also serve on the U.S. Senate Veterans Committee, through which he has held unprecedented hearings in Ohio on access to VA health care. Through his new committee assignment, Brown will continue work on his key priorities including health care access and affordability, workers’ rights, and education and training reform. Brown’s appointment must be adopted by the full Senate, which should happen today through a resolution.

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