The appropriations committee is one of the House of Representative’s most powerful groups, responsible for determining funding for most of the functions of the federal government.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, has been appointed to serve on the powerful Committee on Appropriations in the 116th Congress.

The Appropriations Committee is one of the House of Representative’s “A-List” pre-eminent committees, having one of the broadest jurisdictions of any committee in Congress. It is responsible for appropriating funding for most of the functions of the federal government, from protecting our national security through the Department of Defense, to finding life-saving cures at the National Institutes of Health.

“It is an honor and a privilege to have the support of my colleagues and our leadership to serve on this prestigious committee, fighting for Pinellas County and all Floridians,” Crist said. “The constitutional power of the purse, protecting and more efficiently deploying taxpayer dollars, is a major responsibility. I will use this powerful platform to continue fighting for the people – to combat climate change, protect clean air and water, provide for a strong national defense, support our veterans, build better roads and bridges, and strengthen programs designed for those struggling to make ends meet.”

Crist’s focuses on the committee in the 116th Congress will include these Florida priorities:

• Protecting the Everglades;
• Combating Harmful Algal Blooms, including red tide and blue-green algae;
• Bolstering community development and aid programs for underserved communities;
• Funding for FEMA flood mapping and disaster mitigation efforts;
• Funding for Army Corps shore protection projects;
• Increasing funding for NOAA marine research;
• Supporting the four U.S. Coast Guard stations in Florida’s 13th District, MacDill Air Force Base, and the many critical defense installations in Florida; and
• Protecting and strengthening benefits for the 1.5 million veterans who call the Sunshine State home.

Pinellas County has a long history of congressional representation on the House Appropriations Committee. Former Congressman C.W. Bill Young served on the committee for nearly 40 years, as both Chairman of the Defense Subcommittee and Chairman of the Full Committee.

Crist represents Florida’s 13th Congressional District, which includes south and mid-Pinellas County. For information about Crist, go to crist.house.gov. For information about the appropriations committee, click here.

Charlie Crist | Appropriations Committee | Politics | Tampabay News

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