Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.
The Senate Democratic Caucus Thursday elected Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy, D-Vt., and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, outranked Mikulski in seniority on Appropriations, but they choose to keep their current chairmanships.

Mikulski succeeds Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, who passed away on Monday.