Rep. Spratt served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 28 years. While in Congress, he served as Chairman of the House Budget Committee from 2007 to 2011 and also served on the Armed Services Committee. During his time in Congress, Rep. Spratt championed fiscal responsibility and played a critical role in budget negotiations in the 1990s, which led to surpluses for the first time in 30 years. Rep. Spratt was also appointed to President Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, where he helped garner a bipartisan majority of 11 out of 18 votes in support of a final debt reduction plan.