{"id":53762,"date":"2019-11-06T18:52:28","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T18:52:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/11\/06\/surprise-retirement-shakes-up-defense-spending-in-congress\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:59:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:59:30","slug":"surprise-retirement-shakes-up-defense-spending-in-congress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2019\/11\/06\/surprise-retirement-shakes-up-defense-spending-in-congress\/","title":{"rendered":"Surprise retirement shakes up defense spending in Congress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2015 The defense budgeting process will experience a major shakeup in the coming months as the head of the House Appropriations Committee\u2019s panel on military spending announced he will not seek reelection next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a surprise announcement Wednesday, Rep. Pete Visclosky<\/a>, D-Ind., did not give a reason for his decision. Visclosky, 70, kept a low profile but had a major impact on defense policy and was considered a friend by the defense industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor my entire career I have worked to build support for our domestic steel industry and organized labor, secure investments in transformational projects and improve our quality of place to benefit the only place I have ever called home,\u201d Visclosky said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visclosky\u2019s announcement comes weeks after Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, announced her retirement, which set off a race for her seat between Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who chairs the subcommittee overseeing labor, education, and health and human services, and Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, who chairs the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\t