Shelby plans move to Appropriations

The top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee plans a move over to panel that oversees federal spending in the next Congress. 

Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.) will make the shift over to ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he said Thursday during a hearing on the Federal Housing Administration. 

Shelby would take over for Mississippi Republican Thad Cochran as part of a shift created by the party's committee term limits. 

Cochran is expected to challenge Sen. Pat Roberts (Kan.) for the top slot on the Senate Agriculture Committee.