As a sportsman, Scognamiglio was a world sailing champion (winning the International Ocean Races - One Ton Cup in 1976).

Re-elected in 1994 for Forza Italia (FI), he was President of the Senate for the first two years of the XII Government.

[1] In 1998, Scognamiglio joined the new party established by former President Francesco Cossiga, the Democratic Union for the Republic (UDR), and was Minister of Defence from 21 October 1998 to 22 December 1999, a period that spanned NATO's intervention in Kosovo (March–June 1999).

As minister he promoted the repeal of the draft, the transformation of the Italian armed forces on a professional basis, the opening of military service to women, and the rise of the Corps of Carabinieri as a fourth branch of the Italian military forces.

Scognamiglio is Professor Emeritus of applied economics and lifetime trustee of the Aspen Institute.