Cochran to head homeland appropriations subcommittee

Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., ended speculation about his future plans on the Appropriations Committee Monday night, confirming that he intends to head the new Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.

Cochran will in turn give up his chairmanship of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, although his presence on agricultural policy will be assured, as he will remain the chairman of the full Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee.

Cochran's replacement on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee is not yet known, although possible candidates include Sens. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, and Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R-Colo.

Campbell is likely to lose his chairmanship of the Treasury-Postal Subcommittee because much of its jurisdiction will be folded into the Homeland Security Subcommittee as well as the Transportation Subcommittee, which now will be called the Transportation-Treasury Subcommittee. Current Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is likely to become chairman of that newly constructed panel.

Republicans are expected to hash out new committee assignments Tuesday with Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Senate Appropriations ranking member Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., said no decision has yet been made among Democrats on possible new committee assignments, although Byrd himself is "very interested" in the possibility of taking over as ranking member on the homeland subpanel.