WASHINGTON, DC -- With Democrats taking control of the United States Senate, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced he will regain his seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which controls the purse strings of Congress. Reeds seat on the committee will greatly benefit Rhode Island by enhancing Reeds ability to steer federal dollars back to the state in the years ahead. My priorities on the Appropriations Committee are the issues that Rhode Islanders care about - health care, education, the environment and expanding economic opportunity for our state and the nation, said Reed. Regaining my seat on Appropriations will enable me to secure more federal investment in vital public works projects throughout Rhode Island. The Appropriations Committee is about serving my home state and meeting its needs now and in the future. These federal dollars will allow our state to expand community development programs, improve our transportation infrastructure, and protect Rhode Islands environment. The Appropriations Committee has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate, deciding which federal programs get funded and how much money they will receive. Reed was a member of the Appropriations Committee in 2002, but lost his seat when Republicans claimed the majority in the Senate. Senator Reed was also given a special waiver enabling him to retain his seat on the Armed Services Committee. Democratic Conference rules limit party members to service on only one of the three so-called Super A committees: Appropriations; Armed Services; and Finance. Reed, a graduate of West Point and a former Army Ranger, was given the waiver in recognition of his leadership on Iraq and defense matters. Since 1947, only six other senators have simultaneously served on both of these committees. Reed will also retain his seat on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, which has broad oversight over our nations financial institutions, monetary policy, and housing and mass transit programs. He will also remain onboard the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, which oversees our nation's health care, education, employment, and retirement programs. Reed will step down as the top Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee (JEC). The JEC is made up of members of both the Senate and House of Representatives and reviews economic conditions and makes recommends for improvements in economic policy. Reed also continues to gain seniority in the Senate. Reed was the 60th most senior member of the 109th Congress. With the departure of five Senators, Reed will become the 55th most senior member of the Senate in the 110th Congress when it convenes in January of 2007. Reed was also the 29th most senior member of the Democratic Caucus and will now rise to 27th out of 51 Democratic Senators in the new Congress.