Defense

The House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee is a specialized division of the House Committee on Appropriations that focuses on federal spending for military and intelligence operations. As a subcommittee, it handles the detailed work of reviewing and shaping defense spending bills before they advance to the full committee, which alone can report legislation to the House floor for a vote. The subcommittee's jurisdiction covers the Department of Defense's military departments—Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force—along with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and various defense agencies. It also oversees appropriations for the Central Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. This narrow focus allows members to develop expertise in the complex budgets and strategic priorities of the nation's defense establishment. The subcommittee is chaired by Republican Ken Calvert of California, with Democrat Betty McCollum of Minnesota serving as Ranking Member. Recent activity includes oversight hearings on military readiness and shipbuilding programs, as well as work on fiscal year appropriations bills that fund military personnel, operations, procurement, research and development, and the Military Health System.