House GOP Names Jamie Barton Appropriations Chair

Pennsylvania House Republicans chose the East Brunswick Township lawmaker to lead the chamber's budget committee for the 2027-28 session.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in People

House GOP Names Jamie Barton Appropriations Chair

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The Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus elected State Rep. Jamie Barton to serve as Appropriations chairman for the 2027-28 Legislative Session. Barton was first elected to the House in 2022 and previously served as Republican vice chair of the committee.

Why it matters

The Appropriations chairman works with the majority chair, the Senate and the governor to complete budget and fiscal code bills. The post places Barton at the center of Pennsylvania's state spending decisions for the coming session.

Barton brings 37 years of energy-industry experience to a committee that shapes state spending. His third House term begins in January, with budget work expected to follow in the 2027-28 session.

The players

Jesse Topper

Topper, a Republican from Bedford and Fulton counties, leads House Republicans for the 2027-28 Legislative Session.

Jamie Barton

Barton is a Republican state representative whose career includes 37 years in the energy industry and a business degree from Alvernia University.

The details

The Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus named Barton to the post, and the caucus also tapped Jesse Topper, Tim O'Neal, Martina White, Clint Owlett and Marla Brown for House Republican leadership for the 2027-28 session. Barton's district covers parts of Berks and Schuylkill counties, and he resides in East Brunswick Township.

2022: Barton first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
2025-26 Legislative Session: Barton first assigned to the House Appropriations Committee and later rose to Republican vice chair.
January 2027: Barton's third term begins.
2027-28 Legislative Session: Barton serves as Appropriations chairman.

Leadership Path

Barton moved from first assignment to the Appropriations Committee in 2025-26 to vice chair and now chairman, following the committee's usual progression for Pennsylvania House Republicans. The chairman's role in budget and fiscal code bills makes this succession central to Harrisburg's spending process.

Pennsylvania residents will see Barton's committee shape the state budget and fiscal code bills in the 2027-28 session. The chairman's role determines how state spending proposals move between the House, Senate and governor.

The takeaway

Leadership appointments such as Barton's help determine which lawmakers steer state spending. Readers following Pennsylvania's budget can track Appropriations Committee action as the 2027-28 session begins.