Since 1999, I have served on the House Appropriations Committee, when my colleagues in the Democratic Caucus elected me to that position. The Appropriations Committee, which controls the purse strings of the federal government, is an exclusive committee, meaning members aren't allowed membership on other committees.

Two-thirds of federal spending is automatically allocated to mandatory payments such as Social Security benefits or interest on the public debt. The remaining one-third of federal spending is referred to as the discretionary account. The discretionary account is obligated each year by the 12 House Appropriations Subcommittees, which determine the funding levels for all Federal agencies, programs and departments.

I am the top Democrat and the only California member serving on the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies.  This subcommittee has legislative jurisdiction over most of the Department of Agriculture as well as the Food and Drug Administration, which is located in the Department of Health and Human Services.

California is the nation's largest agriculture production state, and the Central Coast tri-county region grows more crops than any single state, so my position on the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee provides me with the opportunity to shape national agriculture funding priorities to benefit our organic and fresh fruit and vegetable industries, as well as highlight rural development needs, particularly with respect to farmworker housing
 

I am the second ranking Democrat and the only Californian on the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, which has legislative jurisdiction over the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction for the Department of Defense.

With two major military education facilities in Monterey, I am in a good position to assist both the Defense Language Institute and the Naval Postgraduate School upgrade their facilities. Both these academic institutions are considered crown jewels of the military education system and generate significant economic development for the local economy.

If you would like to learn more about the appropriations process, the Congressional Research Service has prepared a good one page explanation.

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