Wasserman Schultz makes bid for House Appropriations Committee gavel

Florida Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Thursday threw her hat in the ring to become the next chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

In October, the committee’s current chairwoman Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), 82, announced that she would retire at the end of the term, leaving open a race for one of the most coveted gavels in the Congress.

Wasserman Schultz, who chairs the appropriations subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, will face stiff competition.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), the longest-serving female House member, has seniority on the committee, while Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), an ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who heads the subcommittee covering the largest non-defense spending bill, has also said she will seek the position.

Wasserman Schultz served as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee in 2016, but stepped aside in the wake of leaked controversial internal e-mails that seemed to indicate plans to sideline Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who was running against Hillary Clinton for the nomination.