WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tom Cole, the Republican and Chickasaw Nation citizen who has held Oklahoma’s District 4 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2003, was named chair of the House Appropriations Committee on April 10.
Cole received unanimous endorsement from the Republican Steering Committee the day before, and was voted to the chair by the full House Republican Conference.
The bipartisan support makes Cole the first Native American and Oklahoma representative to hold the Appropriations chair. He will succeed Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), who announced in March that she would step aside early – before she actually retires from the House in January 2025.
Appropriations wields enviable power. As its name suggests, it has tremendous influence over how money is spent. Its members are often “exclusive,��� meaning they are not seated on other committees, though five members are required to sit on the House Budget Committee.
Currently, Cole is vice chair of Appropriations and leads the funding subcommittee for Housing and Urban Development and Transportation. He is also chair of the Rules Committee.
Before receiving the endorsement on April 9, Cole told reporters that he had aspired to chair Appropriations of a long time, saying it was “an enormous opportunity; great challenge; dream come true.”
Cole released a statement on April 10.
“I am proud to announce that I was ratified by the House Republican Conference this morning as the new chairman of the House Appropriations Committee,” he said. “I would like to thank the conference for their support and ensure them that I am committed to conversing with them all to make sure that we are working to benefit their constituents, as well as properly utilizing our budget to defend our country and meet legitimate domestic needs. I am excited to hit the ground running and get to work for this great nation.”
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. also released a statement after Cole was chosen for the chair.
“As Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, I applaud the election of my friend Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole as chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee,” Hoskin said. “He has been a longtime champion of tribes and truly understands the challenges facing Indian Country, and he is the first tribal citizen to hold this key leadership role. I have full confidence that he will continue to be a strong advocate for funding vital programs, as well as honoring the federal government’s trust responsibilities to tribal nations. With Chairman Cole’s experience and commitment to tribal communities, the committee is better positioned to hear Native voices and address needs through the appropriations process.”
Since Cole entered the House, the threat of government shutdowns has periodically loomed, and he has often been instrumental in the negotiations to keep the federal doors open or get them reopened.
Cole’s views don’t mesh with those of Democrats, but his reputation for pragmatism and negotiation has earned him bipartisan respect, even in today’s polarized South Chamber where Cole’s party has dramatically turned on itself over the past year.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.) said of Cole to the Washington press, “I’ve seen nothing but professionalism, despite his … strong conservative voice. But he respects the institution, and these days, that alone is worth celebration."
Cole faced no opposition, though Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) reportedly considered a challenge. He claimed that many House Republicans are disillusioned with what they believe is a spendthrift appropriations procedure exclusively managed by the chamber’s power players.
