NASHVILLE (AP) — U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has been elected to chair the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

The Tennessee Republican was elected this week by his colleagues in Washington.

The subcommittee oversees funding for national priorities, such as energy research and nuclear weapons modernization, which is funded through the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

It also oversees funding for Tennessee priorities, including the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex and Chickamauga Lock, which are included in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill each year.

Alexander also serves on the full Appropriations Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.