Kansas Sen Jerry Moran is chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture for the next two years. “Subcommittee memberships are being determined and will be announced as soon as possible,” said the Appropriations Committee announcement of subcommittee leaders. Committee chairman Thad Cochran of Mississippi will also head the defense subcommittee. Cochran said he intended for the committee “to produce individual bills” for each section of government “and give all senators an opportunity to review and offer input on them.” Congress often resorted to catch-all spending bills in recent years rather than separate bills for the major federal departments.
In a statement, Moran, who faces re-election in 2016, said he would focus on areas such as implementation of the 2014 farm law and agricultural research. “Additionally, through the subcommittee’s jurisdiction over the FDA budget, I will work to advance public health innovations, including development of new medicines, medical devices and food safety technology,” said Moran. “It is also critical that as responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars we take a hard look at spending in areas of government that aren’t working, and many times even harmful to rural America.”