MACK GERALD FLEMING

[Page: E823]

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HON. G.V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY

in the House of Representatives

THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 1995

Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, Friday, March 31, 1995, marked the end of an extraordinary career in public service. After 26 years on Capitol Hill, serving 21 years as chief counsel and 14 as staff director of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Mack Gerald Fleming retired.

Superlatives just naturally come to mind when describing Mack. As stated in the resolution presented to Mack by Bob Stump and me, his service with the committee and the Veterans Administration was distinguished by visionary leadership, profound wisdom, sound political judgment, and a passion for meeting the needs of America's veterans.

His was the deep commitment of the true believer tempered by a unique practical sense of political possibilities and opportunities. His intuitive sense of timing and ability to reach an effective compromise resulted in the enactment of far-reaching veterans' legislation. Under his guidance, the measure elevating the Veterans' Administration to the Department of Veterans' Affairs was signed into law. Additionally, the new GI bill, which profoundly improved the ability of the Armed Forces to recruit smart, capable young men and women, was nurtured into reality by Mack Fleming. I think Mack would also say he is particularly proud of his efforts to provide an entitlement to inpatient health care for service connected and low-income veterans.

We all know Mack thrived in and was energized by the rough and tumble of politics, and he loved nothing better than a good fight on behalf of a cause he championed. He nevertheless was not swallowed up or overwhelmed by the sometimes heady Capitol Hill existence. There was something in his background or the way he was raised that kept him solidly grounded, and that made the difference:

The difference between a cynical man and one who only sees the good he can do for other people;

The difference between a man who looks for credit for his accomplishments and a man who accomplishes much.

Mack Fleming is a person who is still filled with wonder and seeks to learn new things every day. He has the quintessentially American outlook first observed by de Tocqueville that although man is not perfect, with a decent amount of effort, he can be improved.

Mack came from a humble background in Georgia and South Carolina. He graduated from Clemson University in 1956 and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army. He served on active duty for 2 years with the Second Armored Division in Europe. He subsequently returned to South Carolina where he was a supervisor in a textile mill for 2 years. After coming to Washington in 1960 to serve as administrative assistant to William Jennings Bryan Dorn, Mack graduated from the Washington College of Law at American University in 1966.

Mack also met his wife Libby in Washington, whom he married in 1963. He has been a devoted husband and a supportive and proud father of their children, Katie (Katharine) and John. Mack has long been an active member of the Capitol Hill United Methodist Church and regularly serves as a volunteer at the soup kitchen sponsored by his church.

Mack Fleming loved his work. He was as loyal as they come--smart, tough, a savvy politician. He particularly admired Speaker Sam Rayburn and Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson--and one could see Mack's respect for these practical politicians reflected in his strong character and deep sense of personal honor. Now, I don't want anyone to get the idea that Mack was a saint. He was occasionally more passionate than logical, and serene is not a word I associate with Mack, but he never retreated from the consequences of his conviction.

Mack brought old-fashioned values with him when he arrived in Washington 35 years ago. Through his influence and powers of persuasion, those values are integral markers for much of the work carried out by the committee and its staff. I often said he was the best, and we will certainly miss him.