Longtime Georgia Democrat US Rep. David Scott dies at 80
By Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN
(CNN) — US Democratic Rep. David Scott, who represented Georgia’s 13th Congressional District, has died at 80 years old.
Scott’s death was announced Wednesday on the House floor. The congressman was first elected in 2002 and was running for reelection to a 13th term.
Born on a farm in South Carolina, Scott became the first African American to chair the House Agriculture Committee in 2020, when Democrats controlled the chamber.
Reflecting on his historic appointment, Scott said in a statement at the time that he was “honored.”
“I was born on my grandparents’ farm in rural Aynor, South Carolina, during the days of segregation, and the hardships, of those, on whose shoulders I now stand,” he said.
He later served as ranking member on the committee.
During his time serving in the US House, the congressman helped secure funding in the 2018 farm bill for agriculture scholarships for students attending historically Black colleges and universities.
Before arriving in Washington, Scott was a Georgia state lawmaker and a business owner.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle praised Scott’s long tenure in Congress and expressed sadness over his death.
Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X, “We are all deeply saddened by the news of Rep. David Scott’s passing. For more than two decades, David faithfully served the people of Georgia’s 13th Congressional District and spent the majority of his life in service to others.”
The House Agriculture Committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Angie Craig, remembered Scott as “a strong voice for Georgia’s farmers, hungry veterans and young people.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
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