Tennessee congressman quietest member of House

WASHINGTON – A camera hog, he’s not.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., was the least loquacious of any House member who served during the entire 114th Congress, according to C-SPAN, which tracks the number of days lawmakers spoke during its live broadcasts of congressional proceedings.

DesJarlais, who represents Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District, spoke from the House floor just one day during the 114th Congress, which included the years 2015 and 2016.

DesJarlais spoke the least of any of the House’s 435 members, except for former Rep. Alan Nunnelee, R-Miss., who died just a month after Congress convened, and Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., who was sworn in just three weeks before Congress adjourned.

Comer also spoke once from the floor. Nunnelee, who was battling terminal cancer, didn’t speak at all.

DesJarlais’ only floor remarks of the past two years came last April 14, when he gave a one-minute speech extolling the National Cornbread Festival in his hometown of South Pittsburg, Tenn.

DesJarlais said he’s not camera shy. He just tends to speak out more during committee meetings and hearings, which are sometimes broadcast but are not included in the C-SPAN tally.

“When you speak on the floor, it’s usually to an empty house, so I don’t think it’s the best forum to reach out,” he said. “You can go on Fox News or CNN and do some media that way.”

DesJarlais said he thinks communicating with his constituents works best through tele-town halls, which are essentially conference calls with large groups of constituents, and through social media outlets such as Facebook.

“I get a lot of guidance in that fashion, and I guess I focus more on that,” he said.

“As for C-SPAN,” DesJarlais said, “I always tell people if they don’t have Ambien, that’s a good thing to watch at night.”

He should know. He’s a doctor.