Rosa DeLauro Elected Chair Of U.S. House Appropriations Committee

CONNECTICUT — The U.S. House Democratic Caucus elected Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro as chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee for the upcoming term. The committee is responsible for funding the federal government.

DeLauro is currently the chair of the Labor, Health, Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee. She was first elected to represent the state’s 3rd Congressional District in 1990 and has been a member of the House Appropriations Committee for the majority of her time in Congress. The district largely covers New Haven County.

“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,” DeLauro said in a statement.

The chair position is the first for a Connecticut U.S. representative, according to the New Haven Register. DeLauro won the position handily and beat Florida Democrat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

DeLauro will enter into the position amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the economic uncertainty it brings with it.

“It is a unique time. We are in the middle of a health and economic crisis that must be addressed, communities of color face systemic racism, and we welcome a President with a mandate for change, yet we may still face gridlock,” she said.

Gov. Ned Lamont congratulated DeLauro on her selection.

“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,” Lamont said in a statement.