Funeral information: Visitation for John M. Spratt will be held Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in York. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, De. 18, at 1 p.m. at the church, followed by burial at Rose Hill Cemetery in York.
Former Democratic South Carolina Congressman John Spratt, who served in the state’s 5th Congressional District from 1983 to 2011, died Saturday at age 82, among family, Spratt’s daughter, Catherine confirmed Sunday.
The official cause of death has not been released, but Spratt had been battling with Parkinson's disease for most of the last decade.
In a phone conversation Sunday, Catherine Spratt said her father “was the most wonderful man I’ve ever known” and that trying to write an obituary for him has been a struggle, given how gifted Spratt was at writing and speaking.
In a social media post, she wrote:
“I am heartbroken to announce that my father passed away last night. Funeral arrangements are TBD. As I sat by his bedside the past few days, I struggled to write an obituary that was worthy of him.”
Condolences to the Spratt family from around the political universe have poured in since the posting, including messages from presidents Joe Biden and Bill Clinton.
“John was a man of character, whose legacy of service will live on through all of you and through all those across the Nation whose lives were made better because of his work,” Biden wrote. “I saw that character firsthand during my time in Congress and when I was Vice President. Over the decades, John became more than a colleague – he became a friend, and I know that was true for so many others who were also fortunate enough to work alongside him. Guided by his wit, wisdom, decency, and grace, John deeply understood the promise of America, and he fought tirelessly to bring people together to help us live up to that promise.”
Former President Bill Clinton wrote: “John Spratt was a skilled and deeply principled lawmaker who honorably represented his constituents in South Carolina, and the interests of all Americans, for nearly three decades in Congress. He was masterful in his knowledge of policy and was willing to work with anyone to pass legislation that would make a difference in people’s lives. He had a unique ability of knowing when to hold the line and when to compromise, and it earned him the respect of all in Washington. I’ll always be grateful for the chance to work with him, especially on the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 which he co-authored and helped produce record surpluses. John was a true public servant and a really good man. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone who loved him.”
Congressman James Clyburn, D-6th, a longtime House colleague of Spratt’s, and the only remaining Democrat serving in elected federal office representing South Carolina, wrote: "Serving in Congress with John Spratt was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. He was a friend and confidant, a colleague and counselor, and a mentor and partner. His love of country and respect for humanity were always on display. He was an inconspicuous genius and the most ordinary, extraordinary person I have ever known. I have been missing him for a long time and will always remember his wise counsel."
Other former House colleagues, including U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland and former U.S. House Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee also passed along condolences.
“During our 28 years together in the House of Representatives, I saw firsthand that my dear friend John Spratt was a model legislator and quintessential Southern gentleman,” Hoyer wrote. “He was, in fact, one of the most outstanding colleagues I've had in my 44 years in Congress.”
Cooper wrote that he met Spratt while a junior congressman “and then spent twenty years trying to fill his shoes. No one could do that.”
Spratt commanded deep respect across the aisle as well, and Republican lawmakers representing South Carolina weighed in on his passing.
"Above all else, John Spratt was an incredibly smart and decent man," Sen. Lindsey Graham wrote on X. "He dedicated his life to serving the people of South Carolina. While we were on opposite sides of the aisle, I appreciated how John was always trying to find common ground for the greater good. In my view, his disposition and approach to the job represented the best of public service. John was a good friend and he will be missed. May he rest in peace.”
U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who currently occupies the seat once held by Spratt, also posted on X about Spratt's death.
"I am sad to hear the news of John Spratt’s passing," Norman wrote. "He was a man who dedicated his life to public service and he set the GOLD STANDARD for constituent service. He was the epitome of a southern gentleman. My prayers are with his family."
Republican Sen. Tim Scott posted on X: "From the Army to Congress, John Spratt dedicated decades of his life to serving South Carolina and our great country. My prayers are with John’s family, and may his memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved him."
Gov. Henry McMaster released an official statement saying: South Carolina has lost a true statesman in former Congressman John Spratt. His nearly 30 years of service to South Carolina and our nation were defined by his unmatched intellect, integrity, and kindness. In his honor, I will order flags to be lowered to half-staff on the day of his funeral. Peggy and I invite everyone to join us in praying for his family and loved ones."
Those who knew Spratt in York County recall a towering intellect that did not come with a towering ego.
“He never entered a room like he owned it,” said Terry Plumb, former editor of the Rock Hill Herald, who knew Spratt for years. “John was always sort of an unassuming guy. Brilliant guy, but you never see him, look at him and think, ‘Hey, this is a rich, powerful lawmaker.’ You never got that aura from him.”
Although he was born in North Carolina, Spratt grew up in York County. In the 1970s, he practiced law at a York County law firm and served as chairman of the Bank of Fort Mill. Both companies were founded by his father. Spratt also ran an insurance agency and owned a farm in Fort Mill. Spratt entered Congress in 1983, and almost immediately his knowledge of money and budgets became his calling card.
He was named to the House Committee on the Budget in 1991, he became the committee's ranking minority member in 1997, and ten years later he was named as the committee's chairman. He served in that role for the remainder of his time in the House.
In a 2010 exit interview with CQ Roll Call, Spratt described one of his proudest moments in office as the passage of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
“It actually moved the budget to surplus for the first time in 30 years,” he told the outlet. “And we put the country, the government, on the soundest fiscal course we had been on in 50 years, probably since the end of the Second World War.”
Spratt was a co author of that bill.
A decade after its passage, Spratt became a main supporter of President Obama's policies – in particular, the Affordable Care Act.
In 2010, Spratt introduced that bill on the House floor. The move proved politically fatal.
Eight months after the bill's introduction, Spratt lost his seat to Republican Mick Mulvaney in an election characterized by a strong wave of anti-incumbency.
The loss was considered among the most crushing for Democrats that year.
Prior to 2010, Spratt generally won reelection with little difficulty.
In 1996, the State newspaper called Spratt the Democrats “most reliable” bridge builder across the aisle.
In 2006, the Washingtonian magazine named Spratt as one of the three House members its editors would like to see most win the presidency in 2008.
Spratt wielded his influence to push legislation aimed at providing more equity for working families and college students.
“As Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Congressman Spratt was a miracle worker,” wrote Jamie Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, in response to word of Spratt’s death. “He would often engage in shuttle diplomacy to garner the support of a range of groups from Blue Dog Conservatives to Progressives. I often teased that Mr. Spratt had probably forgotten more about the federal budget than the majority of Members had ever known. He was brilliant, kind, and beloved by many.”
Spratt pushed for increased environmental measures and an expansion of the state children's health insurance program. At home, his most lasting achievement may be his direct involvement to help settle a century old legal battle between the Catawba Indian tribe and the state of South Carolina over land in York, Chester, and Lancaster counties.
“I don't think he ever thought of himself as being, um, a denizen of Washington, D. C.,” Plumb said. “I think he always felt like he was a citizen of York County, South Carolina.”
During the Vietnam War, Spratt served as a captain in the U. S. Army in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense. He remained an ally of the military and made veterans issues a key component for the rest of his life, both in and out of office.
By 2010, Spratt was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease. For a few years following his tenure in Congress, he served as a visiting professor of public policy at Winthrop University. He had later retired from public life to his home in York where his Parkinson's disease worsened over the past decade.
Spratt is survived by his wife, Jane Stacy Spratt; his three daughters, Susan Elizabeth Spratt (David Tendler), Sarah Stacy Spratt (Brian Brennan), and Catherine Bratton Spratt; and several grandchildren.
Note: This story may continue to be updated to include statements from lawmakers regarding John Spratt.