Senate Committee on Appropriations

The Senate Committee on Appropriations controls the federal government's purse strings. It writes the bills that decide how much money every federal agency, department, and program receives each year—from the military to national parks to education. This power comes directly from the U.S. Constitution, which requires Congress to approve all spending before money leaves the Treasury. The committee is the largest in the Senate with 29 members and is divided into 12 subcommittees, each handling a different area like defense, agriculture, health, transportation, and veterans affairs.

Bills flow through the committee in a structured process. Each subcommittee reviews the President's budget request, holds hearings with government officials, and drafts spending plans for its area. These bills then go to the full committee, which may revise them before sending them to the Senate floor for a vote. The committee must follow spending limits set by the broader budget resolution, though the full Senate can override these limits with 60 votes. Appropriations bills must pass both chambers and be signed by the President before the fiscal year starts on October 1.

The committee is chaired by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), with Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) as ranking member. Recent activity shows the committee actively working through fiscal year 2026 appropriations. In early 2026, the committee advanced bills funding defense, homeland security, health and human services, education, interior and environment, legislative operations, and other areas. The committee also processed dozens of bills focused on specific agency funding, including measures to boost pay for Transportation Security Administration workers, FEMA personnel, and Capitol Police. This work reflects the committee's central role in determining what the federal government can actually do with its resources.