Complex sentence: In 1977, he resigned from the House shortly after the beginning of a new term, and was appointed by the President Jimmy Carter's Secretary of Agriculture from January 23,1977 to January 20,1981.
Split into simpler sentences: In 1977, he resigned from the House shortly after the beginning of a new term, and was appointed by President Jimmy Carter. He served as Secretary of Agriculture from January 22,1977 to January 20,1981.