On Wednesday, United States Sen. Richard Shelby, R-AL, announced his committee assignments for the 116th Congress, which included his selection as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, according to a press release.

Shelby previously served as chair of the committee after the resignation of Sen. Thad Cochran, R-MS, in March of 2018 and served as vice chair during the 113th Congress. This will be Shelby’s first full two-year term as Chairman of the powerful committee.

In addition to serving as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Shelby also received assignments to the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, which he has served on for many years, the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Rules and Administration.

“My committee assignments for the 116th Congress present an opportunity for me to continue serving the state of Alabama and the nation to the best of my ability,” Shelby said in the release.  “I am honored that my colleagues have continued to place their trust in me to lead the Senate Appropriations Committee.  I look forward to working closely with Vice Chairman Leahy and all Appropriations Committee members to produce bills that fund our national and local priorities.  Further, my colleagues and I on various authorizing committees – Banking, Environment and Public Works, Rules – will work this Congress to craft legislation that impacts the lives of all Americans, including my fellow Alabamians.”

According to the press release, the Appropriations committee during the 115th Congress, which Shelby led after Cochran’s departure, completed a full slate of Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations bill before July 4, the quickest turnaround the committee has completed in nearly three decades.

Of those bills, five were signed into law before the end of the year and nearly 75 percent of the government was funded according to schedule, the most spending bills confirmed on time since Fiscal Year 1997.