U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, whose 6th Congressional District includes the North Olympic Peninsula, has been tapped to become the ranking Democrat on the powerful committee that controls more than $1 trillion in federal spending.
Dicks beat Rep. Chakah Fattah of Pennsylvania on a 123-64 vote by House Democrats today.
Dicks, who was just elected to his 18th term, currently is chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees Pentagon spending.
He is also the second most senior member on the House Appropriations Committee behind Rep. David Obey, D-Wis. Obey, the panel’s longtime chairman, who is retiring.
Dicks, of Belfair, was in line to become chairman of Appropriations, but Democrats lost control of the House in the November elections.
