[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 30 (Tuesday, March 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E427-E428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN MEMORY OF MARTIN SLATE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. EARL POMEROY

                            of north dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 11, 1997

  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to take a few moments to 
express my sadness at the passing of a truly dedicated public servant. 
His name was Martin Slate, Since 1993, Mr. Slate had served as 
executive director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation [PBGC]. 
In this capacity, he was charged with safeguarding the hard-earned 
pension benefits of millions of working Americans. It was a job he did 
brilliantly. He arrived at the PBGC at a time when the agency was in 
danger of failing in its mission to guarantee the pension benefits of 
American workers. He developed a plan to set things right and went 
about doing so. Director Slate led the effort to make needed reforms in 
the pension laws, he restored the PBGC to a level of solvency it had 
not seen in decades, and he spearheaded a new initiative to track down 
missing pension participants and provide them with the benefits they 
had earned but not received.
  While at PBGC, Director Slate worked closely with leaders from 
Capitol Hill, particularly with former Congressman J.J. ``Jake'' 
Pickle. Writing to Director Slate's spouse last week, Congressman 
Pickle remarked:

       We should give eternal thanks for Marty's leadership in the 
     Pension Benefit Guaranty Program. For years neither the 
     Administration nor Congress could remove road blocks that 
     kept badly-needed pension reform from enactment. Marty Slate 
     knew the problem, and knew how to chart a course of action. 
     As Chairman of the Congressional Subcommittee that had 
     jurisdiction over pension reform, I can vouch that Marty, 
     more than anyone, led the fight that resulted in the passage 
     of the Retirement Protection Act of 1994. Countless millions 
     of American workers, now and in the future, owe a deep debt 
     of gratitude to this great man.

Having worked closely with Director Slate on pension policy over the 
past several years, I share Congressman Pickle's enormous gratitude for 
the leadership and vision he provided

[[Page E428]]

in advancing the retirement security of the American people. Our Nation 
has lost a valuable ally in the critical struggle to achieve economic 
security for our Nation's retirees.
  Fortunately for our Nation, however, Director Slate's 4 years of 
success at the PBGC were not a temporary foray into government service 
but the capstone of a lifelong career of service to the public. Prior 
to coming to the PBGC, Mr. Slate oversaw employee benefit plans for the 
Internal Revenue Service and served in a variety of capacities at the 
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Marty's lifelong dedication to 
ensuring equal opportunity and preserving workplace benefit security 
brought tangible results to millions of working Americans. His life 
stands as a testament to the fact that one can achieve great good in 
service to one's country.
  Mr. Speaker, this past Thursday I attended a memorial service for 
Director Slate. While this required me to miss several recorded votes 
here in the House, I was proud to count myself among the hundreds of 
colleagues and friends who gathered to pay tribute to this exceptional 
man. Speaker after speaker rose to celebrate the life and mourn the 
passing of this quintessential public servant and vibrant friend. For 
those of us who had known him only professionally, we learned in moving 
terms that Marty's dedication to his country was matched by dedication 
to his friends and family. Country, colleagues, family, friends--all 
will miss him terribly.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in this Chamber to join me in 
sending heartfelt condolences to Marty's wife, Dr. Caroline Poplin, and 
to the other members of Marty's family. At this difficult time, I know 
that we all join in expressing our sincere gratitude for Marty's many 
years of dedicated service to this Nation and his fellow citizens.

                          ____________________