After years of trying, Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) finally secured a coveted seat on the House Appropriations Committee. Now comes the hard part.
Shortly after the Republican Steering Committee announced its selections Friday, Flake immediately called for the creation of a new investigations subcommittee — added oversight that he believes will lead to spending cuts.
The idea would bolster the Appropriations Committee’s role investigating the federal projects that it funds. It’s a role outlined in House rules, but one that diminished under Democrat control.
“We’re going to be making cuts to some very popular programs next year, and we need to lay the groundwork and make the case for why those cuts are necessary,” Flake explained. “Having a subcommittee dedicated full time to identifying and justifying spending cuts is what’s needed. Temporary panels headed by advocates of the programs they are expected to cut just isn’t sufficient.”
Flake faces high hurdles. The new Appropriations Committee chairman, Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), has his own ideas of how to improve oversight.
Rogers announced last week he would bolster the responsibilities of the existing 12 subcommittees and create “special investigation panels” to conduct oversight.
Flake isn’t content with that approach. After waiting years to win a seat on the committee, he wants to make the most of it.
