Congress Begins FY 2025 Budget Process with newly elected House Appropriations Full Committee Chair, Rep. Tom Cole

With the fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget finalized (previously reported by COSSA), Congress is looking ahead to FY 2025. The process has begun for FY 2025 with the Presidential Budget Request (see COSSA’s in-depth analysis), which had a delayed release of March 11. The Appropriations subcommittees in both chambers have also begun scheduling oversight budget hearings with the heads of Federal Agencies in preparation of drafting their respective bills for the FY 2025 budget. As a reminder, the fiscal year for 2025 will begin October 1, 2024, requiring Congress to have finalized the budget by this date unless a continuing resolution (CR) is enacted to push the deadline.

As previously reported, Representative Kay Granger (R-TX) requested a new Chair for the House Appropriations Committee as she looks forward to retirement later this year. As expected, Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) has been appointed to the role after running unopposed in the election on April 9. Rep. Cole previously headed the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, a position that went to Representative Steve Womack (R-AR) on April 12. Both the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee and Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee remain unchanged in their leadership. The budget process is intended to continue as expected, with Chair Cole anticipated to release the subcommittee allocations in the upcoming weeks.

Stay tuned to COSSA’s continued coverage of the FY 2025 budget process.