Bingman Announces Senator Clark Jolley as Chairman of Senate Appropriations Committee

President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, today announced the appointment of Senator Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, as the next Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Jolley, who currently serves as the committee’s Vice Chairman, will assume the Chairmanship previously held by the late Senator David Myers, effective immediately.

“As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, David Myers led with a steady hand during challenging times,” Bingman said. “Senator Jolley was an exceptional Vice Chairman, and his expertise on the committee is an invaluable asset in this time of transition. I am confident he will lead an Appropriations Committee that reflects our core belief in smaller, simpler, and smarter government.”

“Senator Jolley is a principled conservative voice who has earned the respect of our Senate members as someone who isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and get to work. I appreciate his willingness to serve in this critical post under difficult circumstances.”

In 2011, the Senate Appropriations Committee oversaw appropriations to seventy-eight state agencies totaling more than $6.5 billion. As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Jolley will serve as the Senate’s chief negotiator in budget discussions with the Governor and the House of Representatives.

“I couldn’t have had a better mentor in the appropriations process than my friend Senator Myers,” Jolley said. “While no one can replace David, I am firmly committed to leading the Appropriations Committee with the kind of integrity and honesty he displayed day in and day out. The business of the Appropriations Committee is essential to the operation of state government, and there is simply no trust more sacred than ensuring our tax-payer dollars are spent judiciously and wisely. I look forward to the next legislative session, and I am honored by the trust President Pro Tempore Bingman has placed in me.”