112th Congress Has Insurance Expertise

The 112th Congress brings with it insurance expertise—including several members with independent agency experience and insurance backgrounds. The roll call includes several returning members with backgrounds as state insurance commissioners, agents or industry leaders. The freshman class also includes several new faces with independent insurance agency experience and ties.

The Big “I” was excited to see agents and insurance professionals with an understanding of the independent agency system run for Congress and supported a number of these candidates.

The Big “I” federal political action committee, InsurPac, supported 265 federal campaigns, winning 247 of them for a record-breaking 93% victory rate. Among the victors were Representatives Kristi Noem (R-S.D.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.). All three of these freshmen have ties to the agent community and will serve important roles in the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.)
Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) has already risen to the top of her party and is one of only two formal freshmen representatives in the House Republican leadership for the 112th Congress.

According to her campaign website, the South Dakota rancher was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives in 2006 and served as Assistant Majority Leader before running for Congress. She has been hailed for her leadership role on agriculture and small business issues and has served on the boards of numerous state and local business, government
and civic organizations.

Noem actively farmed with her family for 17 years, owned and operated a hunting operation and helped manage a family restaurant. Noem’s husband, Bryon, is an independent insurance agent and Big “I” member.

Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.)
As the owner of an insurance agency in Tifton, Ga., Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) knows firsthand how important it is for the industry to have a voice in Congress. Scott is a life insurance agent who formerly served in the Georgia state legislature. He was recently elected to serve as president of the House Republican freshman class for the 112th Congress.

According to his campaign website, he “is committed to making our nation’s tax system fairer, flatter, and simpler.” In the Georgia General Assembly, he served as chairman of the House Governmental Affairs Committee. He also served on the Appropriations Committee, the Rules Committee and the Ways and Means Committee.

Scott is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. He is also committed to his continuing education and has earned numerous additional financial and insurance industry specializations, including the CLU®, ChFC®, REBC® and RHU®.

Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
Newly elected Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) recently stopped by the Big “I” Capitol Hill office in Washington, D.C. Scott, a former independent insurance agent and current Allstate agent, joins Rep. Noem at the House Republican leadership table as a representative of the freshman class.

According to his campaign website, throughout his 15 years in public service in county and state government, Scott “has never voted for a tax increase.” He has received the “Friend of the Taxpayer” commendation from the South Carolina Association of Tax Payers. Scott has a proven track record of supporting small business issues and has long been hailed as a fiscal conservative and steward of taxpayer dollars by numerous organizations.

Scott was elected to the Charleston County Council in 1995. He served on the Council for 13 years and became chairman in 2007. In 2008, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives and was elected chairman of the Freshman Caucus and House Whip. Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Charleston Southern University. I

Margarita Tapia (margarita.tapia@iiaba.net) is Big “I” director of public affairs.


The 112th Congress in a Nutshell

U.S. Senate
Republicans: 47
Democrats: 51
Independents: 2
Leadership: Majority Leader
Harry Reid (D-Nev.)
Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell (R-Ky.)

U.S. House of Representatives
Republicans: 242
Democrats: 193
Leadership: Speaker of the House
John Boehner (R-Ohio)
Minority Leader
Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
—M.T.