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, surrounded by family. The official cause of death has not been released, but Spratt had been battling with Parkinson’s disease for most of the last decade. 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. 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. He was instrumental in passing the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, introduced the Affordable Care Act on the floor of the U.S. House. 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.
