Washington, DC — Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been tapped to lead a House appropriations subcommittee — making her one of 12 influential House “cardinals.”

The Broward Democrat will chair the House appropriations subcommittee that determines the funding level for the legislative branch.

‘I am honored by the confidence that my colleagues have shown in me and I look forward to working on behalf of our nation as we shape and determine the appropriations for the `people’s house,’ the legislative branch of the government,” she said.

The appropriations chairs and their subcommittee heads are among the most powerful members of Congress. All appropriation legislation begins in the House, and the chairs are known as the cardinals of Congress.

Wasserman Schultz will also serve on the financial services subcommittee, which helps determine the budgets of the executive office of the president, the Treasury Department, the U.S. Postal Service, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and others.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wasserman Schultz had “already proven herself to be a leader in the Democratic Caucus, highly respected by all our colleagues for her keen intellect and political savvy.”