Lawmaker Profile

Rep. David Scott

[D, GA-13]
In 2002, David Scott was elected to the United States Congress. He is currently in his ninth term representing Georgia's Thirteenth Congressional District.   He began his public service by being elected to the Georgia General Assembly in 1974.

In Congress, David Scott is a strong voice for jobs, healthcare, education, our veterans, our children, and transportation. He serves on the Financial Services Committee, Agriculture Committee, and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.  He has authored several laws including student loan repayment assistance for law students who become public prosecutors and defenders so that top attorneys will be attracted to public service.  Congressman Scott secured $80 million in funding in the 2018 Farm Bill for agriculture-focused scholarships at the 19 Historically Black 1890's Land-Grant Colleges and Universities across the country. He also recognized the importance of Fathers by adding Father's Day to the U.S. Flag Code as a day of special significance.  He bridged political gridlock to achieve National Heritage Area designation for the Arabia Mountain in metro Atlanta.

Respect for veterans is important to Congressman Scott. 

As a Member of the Financial Services Committee, Congressman Scott has stood with homeowners and neighborhoods during the financial crisis.  He worked to enact the program to provide struggling homeowners who are unemployed with up to 18 months mortgage assistance.  He also helped create the mortgage assistance program Home Assistance Mortgage Program (HAMP), the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), and the Making Home Affordable Program.  

As a Member of the Agriculture Committee Congressman Scott recognizes that Georgia's largest industry is agriculture and he fights to protect the interests of Georgia's farmers, ranchers, and food processors.   

As a Member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Congressman Scott supports a strong American military and robust foreign policy and has demonstrated a firm commitment to America's relationships abroad particularly, with Israel and our NATO allies.  

Congressman David Scott spearheads a wide range of local initiatives that benefit his constituents.  

Congressman David Scott has chaired the Georgia State Society and the Georgia 2013 Inaugural Ball. He sits on the board of the Dean Rusk Center for International Law and Policy at UGA. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha (Beta Nu), a Mason and a Member of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. He received a "Trumpet Award" in 2008, the Urban League's "Congressional Leadership Award" in 2010, has been recognized by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential Georgians" and named on James Magazine's list of "Most Influential" Georgians.

David Scott was born on June 27, 1945 on a farm in Aynor, South Carolina to Mamie Polite Scott and Albert James Scott.  Soon after he was born, David's mother and father moved up north to take work as live-in domestics for wealthy families, leaving David in the care of his maternal grandparents, Helen and James Burroughs, on the farm.

At age 5, David Scott was relocated to Scranton, Pennsylvania where he lived with his paternal grandparents, Minnie and Charles Scott.   At age 10, his paternal grandmother died and David was moved back to the care of his maternal grandmother on the farm in South Carolina for one year.

Then at age 11, David Scott was relocated to Scarsdale, New York where his parents found another job as live-in domestics for a wealthy family.  

At age 13, David moved with his parents to Daytona Beach, Florida where they bought a home and his father started a garbage collection business.  David Scott graduated with honors from Campbell High School in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1963.

David Scott received several academic scholarships and attended Florida A&M University where he earned his BA degree and graduated with honors in 1967. During the summers of his junior and senior years at FAMU, David was selected to serve as a management intern in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Labor Management Relations in Washington, D.C.  Upon graduation, he was awarded scholarships to the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and he earned his MBA degree with honors in 1969.

Upon earning his MBA from Wharton, David Scott moved to Atlanta, Georgia and started his own advertising business, Dayn-Mark Advertising.  

David Scott began his political career in 1972 by working on Andrew Young's successful congressional campaign.  In 1974, he was elected as a Georgia State Representative, where he served from 1975 to 1982. 

In 1982, David Scott was elected as a Georgia State Senator, where he served from 1983 to 2002.  In the Senate, he successfully passed several major laws including a moment of silence for reflection or prayer in Georgia's public schools.  

David Scott is married to Alfredia Aaron Scott.  Their family includes two daughters, Dayna and Marcye; two grandchildren, Kimani and Kaylin; a son-in-law Kwame; and brother-in-law and good friend Hank Aaron. David Scott is the son of a minister and a man of strong faith who loves the Lord.  He regularly gives guest sermons in area churches.