Orrin Hatch: “I wish to pay tribute to Mark Prater, deputy staff director and chief tax counsel for the minority staff of the Senate…”

“I wish to pay tribute to Mark Prater, deputy staff director and chief tax counsel for the minority staff of the Senate Finance Committee. Later this week, the Tax Foundation will award Mark their Exemplar of Excellence in Public Service Award for his many years of service on the Finance Committee. He will be only the second congressional staffer to be honored by the Tax Foundation in their 77-year history. And, I can say without any reservation that no staffer is more worthy of such an honor. After several years in private law practice in his native Oregon, Mark came to work for the Finance Committee in January 1990. At that time, Mark thought he would stay for just 2 years and return home. Fortunately for all of us, Mark has been on the Finance Committee staff for nearly 25 years now. Over these years, he has served with great distinction and has come to be one of the most trusted and respected staffers on Capitol Hill. Indeed, it seems that everyone in Washington knows Mark Prater and seeks him out for advice on tax policy. Perhaps most importantly, Mark is a kind person who treats everyone with respect. Honestly, he would be the last person to seek out this type of honor, usually opting to share credit for his successes with those he works with. Mark has worked for a number of prominent chairmen and ranking members on the Finance Committee, including Bob Packwood, William Roth, and Chuck Grassley.…”