Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro will chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee in the next Congress, which will get underway in January.
DeLauro defeated Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in voting to replace retiring Rep. Nita Lowey
“Serving in this role will be one of the greatest honors of my life, and I am eager to get to work and responsibly fund our government in a way that meets the needs of this moment," Rep. DeLauro said in a news release. “Each Member of Congress represents vastly different districts which each face unique challenges, we are united by our desire to stop the spread of this pandemic, create economic recovery, deliver results for the hardworking families struggling across the country, and address the systemic racial inequities to make America more just and equal."
The Appropriations Committee "is responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities to keep the United States safe, strong, and moving forward...Through the 12 appropriations bills that the Committee considers each year, Committee members work on behalf of the American people by prioritizing good schools, robust job training, affordable higher education, quality health care, and better infrastructure," according to the committee's website.
Other elected Democratic leaders in the state took to social media to congratulate DeLauro.
“Representative DeLauro has always been a fighter in Congress on behalf of all the residents of Connecticut," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. "I am thrilled to see that her colleagues in Congress saw that same determination and selected her as chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Working families across the country will have a true champion ensuring that their voices are heard over the special interests, and that they have a seat at the table as we all work together with President-elect Biden and his administration to build back better from this pandemic. We are incredibly proud to have Representative DeLauro representing her constituents and our state in this vitally important role.”
"This is a historic first for Connecticut," said Rep. John Larson in a statement. "Not since Jonathan Trumbull was elected Speaker of the House has Connecticut held such an important position in the United States Congress. Rosa is the first member of Connecticut to be Chair of the Appropriations Committee. With Rosa DeLauro now Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Richard Neal of Springfield, Massachusetts Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, and Jim McGovern of Massachusetts Chair of the Rules Committee, New England is now the most influential region in the country."
