Owens assigned to Defense, Homeland security subcommittees

North Country Congressman Bill Owens, who was appointed to the influential House Appropriations Committee earlier this year, has been appointed to two key subcommittees: Defense and Homeland Security.

“As a veteran, I’m proud to serve on the Defense Subcommittee to help ensure that men and women in the field have everything they need and installations like Fort Drum are fully prepared to train the next generation of soldiers,” Owens, a Democrat from Plattsburgh, said in a press release. “Moreover, as co-chair of the Northern Border Caucus, I look forward to serving on the Homeland Security Subcommittee to further facilitate the movement of people and goods between New York and Canada.”

The Appropriations Committee is responsible for setting funding levels for nearly every federal department. The Defense Subcommittee, Owens said, has jurisdiction over spending for the Department of the Army, Navy, Air Force, the Office of Secretary of Defense, various defense agencies and the intelligence community. Spending at military installations like Fort Drum, near Watertown, is also set by the Defense Subcommittee.

Owens said the Homeland Security Subcommittee controls spending for that department as well as agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

“This new role is an exciting opportunity to help strengthen important economic assets in the district,” he said in the release. “I look forward to the good work we can do to help create jobs while finding responsible cuts that will put America back on track towards fiscal responsibility.”