The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a prominent think tank focused on Black issues in America, has issued a statement recognizing Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) for his achievements as the longest-serving Black senator and the first Black chairman of a Senate standing committee.
The full statement from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies reads:
“Congratulations to Senator Tim Scott for achieving the longest tenure for a Black senator and becoming the first Black chairman of a Senate standing committee — the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The Senate Banking Committee is responsible for overseeing legislation that’s critical to Black communities including banking, money and credit, public and private housing, urban development and urban mass transit, and more. As proven with his tenure, Senator Scott is poised to bring invaluable experience as its new chair,” said Joint Center President Dedrick Asante-Muhammad.
“Senator Scott has been a longstanding advocate for increasing funding for HBCUs, assisting workers displaced by the pandemic, and prioritizing top staff diversity on Capitol Hill through consistently hiring and promoting diverse top staff, ensuring that the African Americans who represent 26 percent of the population of South Carolina are adequately represented in his Washington, DC office. As a friend of the Joint Center, we’ve appreciated partnering with Senator Scott in the past, and look forward to continuing to work with him in this new capacity.”
Senator Scott has served the state of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since 2013.
During his time in office, he has been an advocate for creating more opportunities for families living paycheck to paycheck and helping children who are mired in poverty have access to quality education.
He launched his Opportunity Agenda, a legislative package aimed at achieving these goals, as well as the Senate Opportunity Coalition, a group of Senators committed to helping those in need.
Before public service, he built a successful small business of his own. He was first elected to Charleston County Council, then the South Carolina State House, and then the U.S. House of Representatives.
In January 2013, he was sworn in as a United States Senator from South Carolina and was re-elected in January 2017.