Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck"

Charles Fleischmann represents Tennessee's 3rd congressional district, which spans East Tennessee from Chattanooga to Oak Ridge. As chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies, he controls the federal budget process for energy programs, water infrastructure, and related agencies. This role gives him significant power to shape national priorities in energy development, nuclear facilities, and water resource management—areas of particular importance to his district, which includes the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Fleischmann's background prepared him well for this position. Born in New York and educated at the University of Illinois and the University of Tennessee College of Law, he practiced law before entering Congress in 2011. His legal training and experience in his district, home to major federal energy facilities, give him substantive expertise in the technical and policy issues his subcommittee oversees. He also serves on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and its Energy Subcommittee, further positioning him within energy policy debates.

As subcommittee chair, Fleischmann influences which energy and water projects receive federal funding and sets the legislative agenda in his area. His sponsored bills reflect his committee focus, including the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025 and the Quantum LEAP Act of 2025, demonstrating engagement with both traditional infrastructure and emerging technologies. His work on appropriations gives him leverage over executive branch agencies and allows him to direct resources toward priorities aligned with his district and party.