Michigan House Republicans have picked the lawmaker who will chair a key committee dealing with the state budget for the 2011-12 session.

State Rep. Chuck Moss of Birmingham was named House Appropriations Committee chairman Friday by James ``Jase'' Bolger of Marshall, who will become House speaker in January.

Moss is currently the top-ranked Republican on the appropriations committee that Democrats lead. Republicans will take over as the majority party in the House next year based on the results of the Nov. 2 election.

Michigan's state government faces a budget shortfall of roughly $1.5 billion for the fiscal year starting in October 2011.

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