Following the House's recent approval of Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole’s motion to begin conference negotiations with the Senate on the 2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Acts, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has named the majority Republican conferees.
The appointed representatives are: Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman John Carter (R-TX), Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD), Legislative Branch Subcommittee Chairman David Valadao (R-CA), Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Congressman John Rutherford (R-FL), Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA), Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Congresswoman Julia Letlow (R-LA) who serves as LHHS Vice Chair, Congressman Michael Guest (R-MS), Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT), Congresswoman Stephanie Bice (R-OK) as THUD Vice Chair, Congressman Scott Franklin (R-FL) as Agriculture Vice Chair, Congressman Nick LaLota (R-NY) as FSGG Vice Chair, Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL) as CJS Vice Chair, Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (R-UT) as Interior Vice Chair, and Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) as Legislative Branch Vice Chair.
This development is notable because it is the first instance since Fiscal Year 2019 that regular appropriations bills will move forward to a conference committee. This step reflects efforts to return to regular order in congressional budgeting procedures.
A previous statement from Chairman Cole about this action and the importance of keeping the government operational for Americans can be found at https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/chairman-cole-statement-passage-motion-go-conference-military-construction-veterans.
