Africa subcommittee chair joins spending panel

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) will keep his spot on the subcommittee but had to give up membership on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. His new role comes the same day the committee approved a $44.1 billion spending bill for the State Department and foreign aid, setting up a tough fight with a House whose spending bill is $10 billion lower.

{mosads}“The Appropriations Committee offers a unique opportunity to make a difference for Delawareans on an extraordinary range of issues, and to ensure that the federal government is making the wisest, most efficient investments in our future,” Coons said in a statement. “My priorities on Appropriations will be consistent with my work in the Senate so far — helping businesses grow and create jobs; supporting innovative research; giving law enforcement the tools to keep our communities safe; and building a circle of protection around the most vulnerable in our society.”

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