December 15, 1977
Page 39327
STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDMUND S. MUSKIE ON THE DEATH OF LAURENCE N. WOODWORTH
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the untimely death of Laurence Woodworth shocked and saddened me. The country will feel the loss of his expertise, skill, and energy.
Larry Woodworth was already on Capitol Hill when most of us arrived. His decision to leave here after 33 years to write the President's tax reform proposals was a personal opportunity for him. It was also an opportunity for the country to see real improvements in the system. Larry's death will not stop that work, nor diminish the opportunity. But the fight for tax reform will be different without this quiet, effective advocate.
The most serious loss, I believe, was Larry's talent for putting the complexities of the Tax Code into terms that all Americans, particularly the 535 who vote here, could understand. We could never honestly hide behind ignorance, though some of us sometimes might have been tempted to do so.
I hope each of us will pause during the holidays to remember what Larry spent his life working toward. It is a job of enormous proportions. It will be no easier now that Larry is gone. But perhaps his memory will strengthen our resolve.