Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) will chair the appropriations subcommittee that writes the first draft of the Department of Energy’s annual spending bill, the full committee confirmed Monday.
Fleischmann takes the gavel of the House Appropriations energy and water subcommittee from Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who now will chair the House Appropriations interior and environment subcommittee. The announcements were part of a slate of appointments published Monday by the Appropriations Committee, chaired by Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas).
The Exchange Monitor reported on Thursday that Fleischmann, whose district neighbors the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Site, was in the mix to lead the critical DOE-check-writing subcommittee.
Fleischman has represented Tennessee’s third district, outside of Knoxville, Tenn., since 2011. The congressman has been a strong advocate for the sites during appropriations cycles and has also joined a number of non-legislative congressional groups, including the Nuclear Cleanup Caucus that he chairs and the Congressional Nuclear Security Working Group.
