Another Key Democrat Announces 2020 Retirement

The House Appropriations Committee will see additional scrambling among its Democratic Party members, as in addition to the announced 2020 retirement of Committee Chair Nina Lowey (D-NY), senior committee member U.S. Representative Pete Visclosky (D-IN) announced his retirement last week. The Appropriations Committee fills the important role of deciding how to divide federal funding among agencies – including Medicaid, which funds the majority of disability supports in the U.S. As reported by The Hill:

“Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection next year.

Visclosky, who has served in the House since 1985, currently chairs the Appropriations subcommittee overseeing defense spending.

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Visclosky’s 1st Congressional District, in northwestern Indiana, is expected to remain under Democratic control.”

Politico Pro additionally reported that: “But the Appropriations panel has lost some of its political might in recent years, after the ban of earmarks and the collapse of the annual appropriations process. Instead, annual spending bills have been replaced by a cycle of stopgap bills and shutdowns largely negotiated at the top level by congressional leaders.

Visclosky was a frequent critic of that budget breakdown and the myriad temporary funding measures Congress has resorted to in recent years, which mirror a top complaint by Pentagon leaders.”