The House Appropriations Committee is slated for major changes when Congress reconvenes in early January. Republican rules limit the number of years that a Member can chair a full committee or subcommittee. Appropriations Committee chairman Bill Young (R-Florida) must relinquish his seat after serving six years. He is expected to take the chairmanship of one of the other major Appropriations Subcommittees, most likely either Defense or Homeland Security. The chairs of those subcommittees are in a three-way race to head the full Appropriations Committee. Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-California) must give up the chair of the Defense Subcommittee, and is seeking to lead the full committee. Homeland Security Subcommittee chairman Hal Rogers (R-Kentucky) and Labor/HHS/Education Subcommittee chairman Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) are also vying for the Committee chairman's seat. The Republican Steering Committee will decide this first week in January when Congress reconvenes from this Christmas and New Year's holiday.

Regardless of who wins the full committee chairmanship, the subcommittee chairs will be reshuffled as senior members of the committee claim the most desirable subcommittee slots. At least one current subcommittee chairman, James Walsh (R-New York), has requested a waiver to continue as chair of the VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies Subcommittee beyond his six-year term. If unsuccessful, that subcommittee could go to the current chair of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, David Hobson (R-Ohio), who could elect to stay in his current post or seek another subcommittee assignment. Although his term has not expired, Transportation Subcommittee chairman Ernest Istook (R-Oklahoma), might face a challenge to his chairmanship because of Republican discontent over Amtrak funding issues and the controversial IRS provision associated with him that was discovered in the Omnibus Appropriations bill, stalling adjournment and forcing a second "lame duck" session before Christmas.