Committee Work:

In the 113th Congress, I am proud to be serving the 17th District of California as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, a key committee in setting government fiscal priorities.

I believe my life experiences have prepared me well to serve on these committees. I came to Congress with more than a decade of experience in local and state government, and more than thirty years of service as an educator and administrator. This experience has shown me how the priorities set by Congress impact what state and local officials and public servants are able to do for their communities. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will fight to make sure that we address the needs of states, communities and families such as:

• access to affordable healthcare

• worker training

• port and border security

• adequate law enforcement to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe

• health care for our veterans

• recovery from natural disasters

• education, particularly fully funding No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and achieving educational equity

• keeping our nation competitive in the global economy through science and technology and advanced manufacturing

Appropriations Committee:

Directing Funding to Fundamental Needs

In 2007, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee selected me to serve on the powerful U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Appropriations. I am proud to serve on the following subcommittees:

• Commerce, Justice, and Science

• Labor, Health and Human Services, Education

After the adoption of the Congressional Budget Resolution, the Appropriations Committee determines the amount of funding that will be appropriated for federal programs and executive branch agencies. You can see the current status of appropriations bills.

In the 113th Congress, Republican leadership has established a moratorium on congressionally directed spending projects known "earmarks." While I recognize that some Members of Congress have abused the earmarking process, I believe this is an unwise course of action, as the Constitution grants Congress the "power of the purse." You can view the projects for which I have requested appropriations in past appropriations bills.

You can learn about the appropriations process in these reports from the Congressional Research Service:

• Earmarks and Limitations in Appropriations Bills

• The Congressional Appropriations Process

• Overview of the Authorization-Appropriations Process

Hearing Schedule:

The Hearing Schedule for the Appropriations Committee can be found on the Appropriations Committee Website.