Editing Chet Edwards (section)

==U.S. House of Representatives==

===Committee assignments===
*[[United States House Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]]
**[[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development|Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development]]
**[[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government|Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government]]
**[[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies]] (Chair)
*[[United States House Committee on the Budget|Committee on the Budget]]

Edwards served as a member on the House Budget Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee and vice chair of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. He also chaired the House Army Caucus.
After becoming Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee in 2007, Edwards authored a $17.7 billion increase in funding for veterans health care and benefits, the largest increase in veterans funding in the history of the Veterans Administration. He also assisted in enacting the 21st Century GI Bill of Rights into law, covering the full cost of a college education for troops. In 2008, both the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars recognized Edwards' leadership with their national awards.
In 2007, he received the Marix Congressional Achievement Award from the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) in recognition of his work. In 2006, Edwards was honored with the Award of Merit, the highest award given by the Military Coalition, which represents 36 military and veteran groups. In 2003, the Association of the U.S. Army gave Edwards its "Legislator of the Year Award." He was co-chair of the House Army Caucus for over a decade and served on the House Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committees for six years before joining the Appropriations Committee.<ref name=EdwardsUS>[https://baylorarchives.cuadra.com/cgi-bin/starfetch.exe?aTK0Il43.mzpDDwIfwRX8xtwXzNFxc4WK8UzHBDMvZNGSzYIyBAQyiTeSKq9X15.roE7GJEfGI0m.aCprM2mlziY7lTw.ymVum8gf06wstE/0007mu.xml Thomas Chester “Chet” Edwards U.S. House of Representatives Papers] #8A, Baylor Collections of Political Materials, W. R. Poage Legislative Library, Baylor University.</ref>