Jamie Whitten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jamie Whitten
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Whitten in 1961
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| 42nd Dean of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | George H. Mahon |
| Succeeded by | John Dingell |
| Chair of the House Appropriations Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | George H. Mahon |
| Succeeded by | William Natcher |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi |
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| In office November 4, 1941 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Wall Doxey |
| Succeeded by | Roger Wicker |
| Constituency | 2nd district (1941–1973) 1st district (1973–1995) |
| Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives | |
| In office 1931–1932 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jamie Lloyd Whitten
April 18, 1910 Cascilla, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | September 9, 1995 (aged 85) Oxford, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Mississippi |
Jamie Lloyd Whitten (April 18, 1910 – September 9, 1995) was an American politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Whitten represented the state of Mississippi in the United States House of Representatives for a very long time, from 1941 to 1995.
When he left office, he was the longest-serving U.S. Representative ever. He was also the Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 to 1995. This means he was the longest-serving member of the House at that time. He is still the longest-serving member of Congress from Mississippi. Whitten was known for his work on national policy and spending related to agriculture.
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Early Life and Career
Jamie Whitten was born in Cascilla, Mississippi. He went to local public schools. Later, he attended the University of Mississippi. He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity there.
Before becoming a national politician, Whitten worked as a school teacher and principal. He was elected as a Democrat to the Mississippi House of Representatives. He served there in 1931 and 1932. In 1932, he became a lawyer. From 1933 to 1941, he worked as a District Attorney for Mississippi's 17th District. This district included his home, Tallahatchie County.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Congressman
In 1941, Jamie Whitten was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He won a special election to represent Mississippi's 2nd District. This district was in the northern part of the state. The seat became open when the previous Congressman, Wall Doxey, was elected to the United States Senate.
Whitten was elected for a full term in 1942. He was re-elected 25 more times! This shows how popular he was with the people he represented. After the 1970 Census, his district was renumbered and became the 1st District.
Leading on Agricultural Policy
Jamie Whitten was a very important voice in Congress, especially for farmers. He was the chair of the Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture for many years (1949-1953 and 1954-1978). From 1979 to 1992, he was the chair of the entire Appropriations Committee. This meant he had a big say in how money was spent on agriculture and what policies were made.
He was a strong supporter of American farmers. For example, in the early 1970s, he argued against the FDA's idea to limit antibiotics in livestock. He insisted that scientists needed to prove any danger first.
Whitten also supported programs that helped people. He worked with other Democrats to support free food distribution from surplus supplies, school lunch programs, and food stamps for those in need. In the 1980s, he sometimes disagreed with President Reagan's ideas about government spending. Even though his district started to have more Republican voters, his long service and popularity meant he usually faced easy elections.
Whitten's time in Congress was incredibly long. He served for 53 years and two months! This set a record for length of service in the House. This record was held until 2009 when John Dingell from Michigan served even longer. Whitten is also the 5th longest-serving member of Congress (House and/or Senate) in U.S. history.
He retired from the House in 1994. He passed away in Oxford, Mississippi, on September 9, 1995, at the age of 85.
Whitten's Law
Jamie Whitten was known for his practical approach to government spending. In 1985, a younger Congressman named Dick Durbin asked Whitten about joining the Budget Committee. Whitten famously told him: "Well, if you want to be on that committee, you can be on that committee, but I want you to remember one thing, the Budget Committee deals in hallucinations and the Appropriations Committee deals in facts."
Years later, in 2018, Senator Durbin referred to this quote as "Whitten's Law." It means that the Budget Committee might make big plans for spending, but the Appropriations Committee is the one that actually decides how the money will be spent.
Legacy and Honors
Jamie Whitten's work left a lasting mark.
- The Jamie Whitten Historical Site is located at the bridge of the Natchez Trace Parkway over the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Whitten worked hard to get funding for these two big projects, even when there was strong opposition.
- In June 1995, Congress honored him by renaming the main headquarters building of the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC, the Jamie L. Whitten Building.
- The Beta Beta chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity at the University of Mississippi has a leadership award named after him. Each year, a graduating member is chosen for this award based on their leadership and dedication to their fraternity, university, and community.
