SPENDING TIME ON SPENDING Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell isn't sharing his plans for his post-leadership future. But senior GOP appropriators expect him to get more involved in spending fights next year, including over more Ukraine aid and government funding. Those senators caution that the Kentucky Republican has not directly spoken with them about any of his plans for life as a regular — albeit very powerful and senior — senator. But they expect the longtime appropriator will have a lot more time to devote to spending. McConnell’s staff is already extremely involved in the annual government funding process. The current minority leader has also made defense and national security spending, especially on Ukraine, one of his top priorities (and a frequent topic of his Senate floor speeches). McConnell currently sits on six out of 12 subcommittees that oversee government funding bills, including the panels on Defense, Military Construction-VA, State-Foreign Operations, Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water and Interior. “He’s a force,” said Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas, the top Republican who oversees veterans’ funding. “People listen to him and they respect his advice, maybe even more so once he steps away from leadership.” Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), the ranking member on the agriculture spending panel, said he thinks McConnell will participate “more directly.” “I think he has had his staff involved,” he said. “But I think you’ll see that he’ll be more involved himself. Obviously, he doesn’t come to the approps committee meetings now. He’ll do that. I think he’ll be more active on subcommittees.” The unlikely Collins drama: McConnell, 82, would have an opportunity next year to seize the top GOP spot on the entire committee, either chair or the ranking slot, if he wants it. But his fellow Republicans, once again warning they’re not clued into his plans, don’t expect McConnell to take that long-awaited opportunity from Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Collins, the current ranking member, and Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) took the helm of the committee for the first time in January 2023. “I mean, obviously, Susan has worked so hard and so long and so diligently,” Hoeven said. “She’s doing, you know, just yeoman’s work.” If Republicans win back the Senate majority this fall, Collins will have her shot at chair for the first time next year, the North Dakota Republican said. “I think it would be hard for him to step in and take the gavel at that point,” Hoeven added. “Just because she has worked so hard. Of course, she’s been the ranking member. But to lose out on an opportunity to be the chair — if I had to guess, I think she probably will be. I don’t think he’d take the gavel.” When asked about McConnell’s appropriations plans, Collins suggested asking the Kentucky Republican directly. “Senator Collins fully anticipates that in the next Congress, she will either be the chair or vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee,” said Annie Clark, communications director for Collins. “Of course, it is Senator McConnell’s prerogative to make his own decisions given his seniority.” In a statement, a McConnell spokesperson said, “Leader McConnell is focused on finishing the 118th Congress strong and helping Senate Republicans regain the majority.” Parallels with the House: It’s possible that a reshuffling of the Senate Appropriations Committee next year could land McConnell a top subcommittee spot, as it did when Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) stepped down from House Democratic leadership. After announcing plans to retire his spot as House majority leader in 2022, some speculated that Hoyer might leverage his seniority to become the top Democratic appropriator in the House. But Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) maintained that coveted position, with Hoyer becoming the top Democrat on the Financial Services spending subpanel. “I’m sure he’ll have more time for appropriations,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a Republican appropriator, said of McConnell. “I think his passion is international security, the Ukrainian issue. … Maybe he’ll be more active on the defense subcommittee.” — Caitlin Emma GOOD EVENING! Welcome to Inside Congress, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Friday, August 16, where we’re locked in on the Little League World Series, because we have to fill the international competition void the Olympics left behind. (Though we could use more breakdancing in Williamsport.)
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