Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), a fiscal conservative encouraged by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to join the Appropriations Committee, is no longer requesting to join the committee because he wants to lead a subcommittee on the Oversight and Government Reform panel.
Chaffetz said Friday a conversation with Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) earlier this week reminded him that he’s “thrived” on the committee and has “loved” working with Issa. Chaffetz is ranking member on the subcommittee that oversees the federal workforce, the postal service and the District of Columbia. He’s been promised a chairmanship, though that could be on another subcommittee.
“I’ve thrived there. I’ve done well there. It’s been good to me,” he said.
Chaffetz also said he doesn’t want to give up the Judiciary and Natural Resources committees, which he would have to do because Appropriations is an exclusive panel.
“I don’t think I want to give up all those other opportunities in the name of the Appropriations,” he said. “I can do more for the state of Utah on those three committees.”
Conservatives like Reps. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) have been lobbying several fellow conservatives, including Chaffetz, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) to join the committee, but with no success so far. Flake is now the only member who’s publicly said he wants to join the committee, which will have to make tough spending cut decisions next year.
Flake’s chief of staff, Matthew Specht, said in a statement to POLITICO that Flake is “disappointed” about Chaffetz’s decision.
“My boss was disappointed that he won’t be on the Approps Committee next year. He would have been great on there, but he’s going to do a great job chairing a subcommittee in Oversight and Government Reform. In the end, Congressman Flake is confident that there will be a handful of new members of the Approps Committee next Congress who are anxious to do some cutting,” he said.
Chaffetz said Friday a conversation with Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) earlier this week reminded him that he’s “thrived” on the committee and has “loved” working with Issa. Chaffetz is ranking member on the subcommittee that oversees the federal workforce, the postal service and the District of Columbia. He’s been promised a chairmanship, though that could be on another subcommittee.
“I’ve thrived there. I’ve done well there. It’s been good to me,” he said.
Chaffetz also said he doesn’t want to give up the Judiciary and Natural Resources committees, which he would have to do because Appropriations is an exclusive panel.
“I don’t think I want to give up all those other opportunities in the name of the Appropriations,” he said. “I can do more for the state of Utah on those three committees.”
Conservatives like Reps. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) have been lobbying several fellow conservatives, including Chaffetz, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) to join the committee, but with no success so far. Flake is now the only member who’s publicly said he wants to join the committee, which will have to make tough spending cut decisions next year.
Flake’s chief of staff, Matthew Specht, said in a statement to POLITICO that Flake is “disappointed” about Chaffetz’s decision.
“My boss was disappointed that he won’t be on the Approps Committee next year. He would have been great on there, but he’s going to do a great job chairing a subcommittee in Oversight and Government Reform. In the end, Congressman Flake is confident that there will be a handful of new members of the Approps Committee next Congress who are anxious to do some cutting,” he said.
