Whitten, Longest-Serving Congressman, Plans to Retire

Rep. Jamie L. Whitten (D-Miss.), who has served longer in the House than anyone else, announced his retirement Tuesday, two years after illness forced him from the chairmanship of the powerful Appropriations Committee.

Whitten, who turns 84 in two weeks, was elected to an unexpired term a month before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941 and is completing his 27th consecutive term representing northern Mississippi. The next senior member, Rep. Sidney R. Yates (D-Ill.), came to Congress in 1965.

Because of his age and ill health, Whitten’s retirement had been widely anticipated. Three Democrats had already taken the unusual step of filing as candidates for his seat.

“This has not been an easy decision,” Whitten said in a seven-paragraph statement. “The people of our state have been mighty good to me through the years, and it has always been my desire to use this position to serve them as well as I possibly could. However, the timing seems right and there are other interests I still want to pursue.”

Whitten suffered what appeared to be a stroke in early 1992 and had trouble managing his panel’s bills when he returned to the House. In June, 1992, House Democrats made William H. Natcher (D-Ky.) acting chairman of the committee in a move that became permanent until illness last month also forced him from the panel’s leadership. Natcher died last week.

Rep. David R. Obey (D-Wis.) now chairs the committee, where, under the Constitution, all spending bills originate.

With his positions on the Appropriations Committee, Whitten, a conservative, steered federal funds and projects to his district and state, one of the nation’s poorest.