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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Member, Congressioanl Pro Life Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Air Force Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Army Aviation Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Caucus on Parkinson's Disease, present

Member, Congressional Cement Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Diabetes Caucus, present

Member, Congressional General Aviation Caucus, present

Member, Congressional German-American Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Peanut Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Range and Test Center Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Rural Health Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus, present

Member, House Army Caucus, present

Member, House Military Depot Caucus, present

Former Member, Agriculture Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Congressional Community Pharmacy Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Turkey Caucus

Former Member, Friends of Switzerland Caucus

Former Member, Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research, United States House of Representatives

Former Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats & Capabilities, United States House of Representatives

Education

  • BBA, Risk Management/Insurance, University of Georgia, 1993

Professional Experience

  • BBA, Risk Management/Insurance, University of Georgia, 1993
  • Owner/Agent, Insurance/Investment Sales, The Southern Group, Limited Liability Company, present
  • Partner, Pebble Hill Farms, Limited Liability Company
  • Senior Agent, The Principal Financial Group, 1993-1998
  • Agent, Life of the South Agency, 1992-1993

Political Experience

  • BBA, Risk Management/Insurance, University of Georgia, 1993
  • Owner/Agent, Insurance/Investment Sales, The Southern Group, Limited Liability Company, present
  • Partner, Pebble Hill Farms, Limited Liability Company
  • Senior Agent, The Principal Financial Group, 1993-1998
  • Agent, Life of the South Agency, 1992-1993
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, Georgia, District 8, 2011-present
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Georgia, District 8, 2018, 2020
  • Representative, Georgia State House of Representatives, District 153, 1996-2010

Former Committees/Caucuses

Member, Congressioanl Pro Life Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Air Force Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Army Aviation Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Caucus on Parkinson's Disease, present

Member, Congressional Cement Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Diabetes Caucus, present

Member, Congressional General Aviation Caucus, present

Member, Congressional German-American Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Peanut Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Range and Test Center Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Rural Health Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus, present

Member, House Army Caucus, present

Member, House Military Depot Caucus, present

Former Member, Agriculture Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Congressional Community Pharmacy Caucus

Former Member, Congressional Turkey Caucus

Former Member, Friends of Switzerland Caucus

Former Member, Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research, United States House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Agriculture Committee

Member, Armed Services Committee

Member, Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research

Member, Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit

Ranking Member, Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management

Member, Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations

Member, Subcommittee on Readiness

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • BBA, Risk Management/Insurance, University of Georgia, 1993
  • Owner/Agent, Insurance/Investment Sales, The Southern Group, Limited Liability Company, present
  • Partner, Pebble Hill Farms, Limited Liability Company
  • Senior Agent, The Principal Financial Group, 1993-1998
  • Agent, Life of the South Agency, 1992-1993
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, Georgia, District 8, 2011-present
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Georgia, District 8, 2018, 2020
  • Representative, Georgia State House of Representatives, District 153, 1996-2010
  • Board Member, American Red Cross, Coastal Plains Chapter, present
  • Member, Board of Visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, present
  • Member, Electronic Warfare Working Group, present
  • Member, First Baptist Church of Tifton, present
  • Board Member, Georgia Rural Development Council, present
  • Member, National Rifle Association (NRA), present
  • Member, Republican Study Committee, present
  • Former Member, National Association of Insurance Financial Advisers (NAIFA)
  • Participant, Leadership Georgia, 2007
  • Member, State of Georgia Certificate of Need Commission, 2006
  • Member, State of Georgia Trauma Commission, 2006
  • Member, American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), 2004

Other Info

— Awards:

  • Hero of Open Government, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Policy Positions

2021

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- Yes

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position

Crime

1. Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- Unknown Position

Defense

Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Yes

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy and Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- No

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Unknown Position

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position

Trade

Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes

Georgia State Legislative Election 2008 Political Courage Test

Abortion

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

1. Abortions should always be illegal.
- X

2. Abortions should always be legal.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- X

4. Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
- No Answer

5. Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

6. Abortions should be subject to a mandatory waiting period.
- No Answer

7. Require clinics to give parental notification before performing abortions on minors.
- X

Budget and Tax

State Budget: Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category, you can use a number more than once.State Taxes: Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category, you can use a number more than once.

1. Education (Higher)
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Increase

3. Emergency preparedness
- Maintain Status

4. Environment
- Maintain Status

5. Health care
- Slightly Increase

6. Law enforcement
- Greatly Increase

7. Transportation and Highway infrastructure
- Maintain Status

8. Welfare
- Slightly Decrease

9. Other or expanded categories
- Maintain Status

10. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

11. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Increase

12. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Decrease

13. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

14. Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
- Slightly Decrease

15. Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
- Maintain Status

16. Property taxes
- Slightly Decrease

17. Sales taxes
- Slightly Increase

18. Vehicle taxes
- Maintain Status

19. Should state sales taxes be extended to Internet sales?
- Yes

20. Should accounts such as a "rainy day" fund be used to balance the state budget?
- Yes

21. Should fee increases be used to balance the state budget?
- No

22. collection of taxes due is key to reducing other taxes
- Budget must be balanced and spending can not exceed revenues

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.c) Do you support limiting the following types of contributions to state legislative candidates?

1. Do you support the current limit of terms for Georgia governors?
- Yes

2. Do you support limiting the number of terms for Georgia state senators and representatives?
- Yes

3. Individual
- Yes

4. PAC
- Yes

5. Corporate
- Yes

6. Political Parties
- Yes

7. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

8. Do you support imposing spending limits on state-level political campaigns?
- No

9. Should Georgia participate in the federal REAL ID program?
- Yes

10. Should the state government give county governments the authority to levy a 1 percent sales tax, if approved by county voters, for transportation projects?
- No

Crime

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

1. Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and hiring of additional prison staff.
- No Answer

2. Support the death penalty in Georgia.
- X

3. Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- X

4. Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- X

5. Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
- No Answer

6. Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
- No Answer

7. Support state and local law enforcement officials enforcing federal immigration laws.
- X

8. Support hate crime legislation.
- No Answer

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

1. Support state funding of universal pre-K programs.
- No Answer

2. Support federal education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students (No Child Left Behind).
- No Answer

3. Support state education standards and testing requirements for K-12 students.
- X

4. Support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams.
- No Answer

5. Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any public school.
- No Answer

6. Allow parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school.
- No Answer

7. Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
- X

8. Support using a merit pay system for teachers.
- No Answer

9. Provide state funding for tax incentives and financial aid to help make college more affordable.
- X

10. Support allowing illegal immigrant high school graduates of Georgia to pay in-state tuition at public universities.
- No Answer

11. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Employment

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.

1. Increase funding for state job-training programs that re-train displaced workers and teach skills needed in today's job market.
- X

2. Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
- X

3. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
- X

4. Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for children in low-income working families.
- X

5. Increase state funds to provide child care for children in low-income working families.
- No Answer

6. Include sexual orientation in Georgia's anti-discrimination laws.
- No Answer

7. Include gender identity in Georgia's anti-discrimination laws.
- No Answer

8. Increase the state minimum wage.
- No Answer

9. Support laws that prevent employers from dismissing employees at will.
- No Answer

10. Support financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
- X

11. Support increased work requirements for able-bodied welfare recipients.
- X

12. Increase funding for employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
- No Answer

13. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

1. Promote increased use of alternative fuel technology.
- X

2. Support increased production of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil, etc).
- X

3. Support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops.
- No Answer

4. Use state funds to clean up former industrial and commercial sites that are contaminated, unused, or abandoned.
- X

5. Support funding for improvements to Georgia's power generating and transmission facilities.
- No Answer

6. Support funding for open space preservation.
- No Answer

7. Limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases linked to global warming.
- No Answer

8. Enact environmental regulations even if they are stricter than federal law.
- No Answer

Gun

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.

1. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

2. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

3. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- No

4. Do you support current levels of enforcement of existing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes

5. Do you support current state restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health.

1. Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
- No Answer

2. Guaranteed medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
- X

3. Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- X

4. Allow patients to sue their HMOs.
- X

5. Require hospitals and labs to release reports on infections that are a risk to public health, while not compromising patient confidentiality.
- X

6. Legalize physician assisted suicide in Georgia.
- No Answer

7. Support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
- No Answer

8. Fund the Trauma Care Network by increasing vehicle registration fees $10.
- X

Social

['Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.', 'Legislative Priorities']

1. Should Georgia recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?
- No

2. Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?
- No

3. Should Georgia provide state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples?
- No

4. Do you support a moment of silence in public schools?
- Yes

5. Do you support voluntary prayer in public schools?
- Yes

6. Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
- No

7. Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
- Yes

8. Should the state government consider race and gender in state government contracting and hiring decisions?
- No

9. Do you support affirmative action in public college admissions?
- No

10. Should Georgia continue affirmative action programs?
- No

11. Do you support state funding of stem cell research?
- Yes

12. Do you support state funding of embryonic stem cell research?
- No

13. Do you support allowing pharmacists who conscientiously object to emergency contraception to refuse to dispense it?
- Yes

14. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

2019

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- No

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy & Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- No

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes

Marijuana

Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Unknown Position

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- Yes

Congress Bills
Speeches
Articles

The Moultrie Observer - COLUMN: Census results vitally important to our local communities

Aug. 27, 2020

School Lunch and Breakfast Program, Rural Education, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance, Community Development Block Grants, Federal Pell Grant Program, Title 1 and Head Start, Special Education Grants to States, Foster Care and Adoption Grants, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC, Formula Grants for Rural Areas, Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural Communities, Highway Planning and Construction, Child Welfare Services State Grants, Child Abuse and Neglect State Grants, Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse, State Wildlife Grants, Hunter Education and Safety Program, and the list goes on. One hundred and thirty-two federal programs used Census Bureau statistical data to distribute more than $675 billion in funds during fiscal year 2015 alone. Conducted every ten years, the Census provides valuable information that dictates how our state is represented in Congress and how much federal funding our local schools, public safety services, and public infrastructure receive. That's why it is important that each Georgian be counted in the 2020 Census. Currently, a little over 59% of Georgians have responded to the 2020 Census, with the national response rate at 63.6%. That means nearly 4.3 million Georgians have yet to be counted, which means Georgia will lose out on billions of dollars in federal funding over the next ten years. This impact will be felt especially hard in rural communities, which are currently underreporting in Georgia. Georgia's Eighth District, which is classified as 43% rural, is currently reporting a Census response rate at just over 54.6%. That means nearly 325,000 of our 710,000 residents are currently not being counted in the 2020 Census. If this low response rate holds, Middle and South Georgia will receive significantly less federal funding from programs that utilize Census Bureau statistical data to distribute funds. Census data does more than direct federal funding, it also dictates how many U.S. Representatives our state sends to Congress and influences business development in communities based off the size and age of the local workforce. Plainly put: Census results are vitally important to our local communities. One of the most common reactions I hear from constituents is fear. Please know that the information you provide to the Census will never be used against you. By law, responses to the Census are kept confidential, and your answers can only be used to produce statistics. Your response is safe, secure, and protected. I strongly encourage each Georgian to complete the Census today -- it only takes a few minutes. You can visit http://www.2020census.gov/ for more information or to take the Census online. To take the Census by phone, you can call 844-330-2020 for English and 844-468-2020 for Spanish. If you are an employer, please share this with your employees; educators, please share with your parents; pastors, please share with your congregation. The deadline to take the Census is September 30, so don't wait. Take a few minutes to shape the future of our communities and state today by taking the 2020 Census. Congressman Austin Scott represents Georgia's Eighth Congressional District.

Tested positive for coronavirus on November 30, 2020

Jan. 1, 1900

Coronavirus pandemic Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryDaily updatesElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsSubmit On November 30, 2020, Scott announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.