News: House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-Ga.) will seek another term atop the panel next Congress despite widespread worries among Democrats over his health.
In a brief conversation, Scott told us that he plans to continue serving as the top Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, which is currently struggling to figure out its next steps before key farm bill provisions begin expiring on Sept. 30.
Scott sent a memo to committee members last week saying he and Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) agree they should forgo another short-term extension. They want to keep pressure on negotiators to hash out a long-term bill before December, which is seen as the real deadline for action.
Scott’s leadership has come under scrutiny by some Ag Committee Democrats, particularly those running in swing districts. These concerns are especially heightened as Democrats have a chance to retake the House, putting the chairmanship of a key committee — and potentially control of a hugely important legislative priority — up for grabs.
Democrats’ worries ‘widely expressed’: Scott made history in the previous Congress by becoming the first Black lawmaker to chair the Agriculture Committee. But the 79-year-old’s health has concerned several lawmakers, who have privately complained about both his ability to communicate with members and lead the negotiations on the farm bill.
Scott rarely speaks to the press and relies heavily on his staff for assistance on the Hill. One House Democrat told us doubts about Scott’s ability to steer the committee are “widely expressed.”
“I haven’t met a member who isn’t concerned,” said the Democratic lawmaker, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “There was a lot of frustration heading into the markup. We needed to have a comms strategy and a legislative strategy, but it took us a long time to get organized.”
The day before the May 24 farm bill markup, a group of Democrats even raised their concerns directly with Thompson, the Republican chair, according to multiple sources.
The meeting — which included Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.) and Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) — was held so members could report to Thompson why they planned to vote against the bill in committee. But some members also vented about Scott’s lack of communication on how negotiations were going.
One member who attended that meeting told us the group also went to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to figure out a plan on the farm bill due to a lack of direction from Scott.
When asked about Scott running again, Jeffries’ office said Democrats were focused on “working toward an equitable Farm Bill before the end of the calendar year.”
Succession plans: Multiple Democrats told us there are internal conversations about someone challenging Scott after the election when the Democratic Caucus picks its committee leaders. Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) have been floated as potential successors.
Bennie Thompson, who is the ranking member on the Homeland Security Committee, still has seniority on the Ag panel. Jeffries also tapped him to lead an agriculture and nutrition task force last year. Some saw that as undercutting Scott.
Thompson’s office disputes that he’s trying to leave the Homeland Security panel. Hayes didn’t respond for comment.
“Congressman Thompson is planning on building upon his long standing legislative record on the Homeland Security Committee and is eager to seek his colleagues’ support to lead the Committee next Congress,” said Adam Comis, spokesperson for Bennie Thompson.
If Scott runs again for the Agriculture Committee gavel, it could be a messy endeavor to replace him, which may require delicate leadership intervention, which they have so far declined to do. House Democrats are very touchy about seniority issues and replacing aging members.
Scott’s allies think the effort by mostly white members to push him out has “racial undertones,” even though the potential candidates to replace him are also Black.
