III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 412 

Honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Martin Olav Sabo as an 

outstanding public servant dedicated to the State of Minnesota and 

the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 4, 2016 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. FRANKEN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Martin Olav 

Sabo as an outstanding public servant dedicated to the 

State of Minnesota and the United States. 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo was born on February 28, 1938, 

in Crosby, North Dakota, and grew up in Alkabo, North 

Dakota; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo attended Augsburg College in 

Minneapolis, Minnesota, and graduated in 1959; 

Whereas in 1960, at the age of 22 years, Martin Olav Sabo 

was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives and at that time, Martin Olav Sabo was the youngest person ever elected to the Minnesota Legislature; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo served in the Minnesota House of 

Representatives for 18 years, including— 


sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 412 ATS 

(1) 4 years as minority leader; and 

(2) 6 years as the first member of the DemocraticFarmer-Labor Party to serve as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo fought for the historic 1971 

‘‘Minnesota Miracle’’ that changed the way schools and 

localities were funded; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo was first elected to the House of 

Representatives in 1978 and he served 28 years as a 

Member of Congress representing the fifth congressional 

district of Minnesota; 

Whereas in 1979, as a freshman legislator, Martin Olav Sabo 

was appointed to serve on the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and he later became Ranking Member of the Subcommittees on Transportation and Homeland Security of the Committee on 

Appropriations of the House of Representatives; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo— 

(1) championed investments in roads and bridges, 

transit systems, aviation infrastructure, railways, nonmotorized corridors, and other transportation projects, 

including the first light rail transit line in Minnesota 

(commonly known as the ‘‘Blue Line’’), the Hennepin Avenue bridge, and the Midtown Greenway; and 

(2) provided critical funding— 

(A) to foster economic development initiatives; 

(B) to expand housing opportunities for lowand moderate-income families; 

(C) to protect the environment; 

(D) to support law enforcement; 

(E) to promote agricultural production and research; 


sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 412 ATS 

(F) to establish the Department of Homeland 

Security; and 

(G) to strengthen the Department of Defense; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo served on the Committee on the 

Budget of the House of Representatives for 8 years, including— 

(1) 2 years as Ranking Member; and 

(2) 2 years as Chairman during the 103rd Congress, 

a period during which Martin Olav Sabo shepherded 

through enactment into law on August 10, 1993, the 

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Public Law 

103–66), which many contend paved the way to a balanced budget in 1998, the first balanced budget of the 

United States since 1969; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo was concerned with the growing 

disparity between workers at the top of the income ladder 

and those at the bottom and on October 13, 1993, Martin Olav Sabo introduced H.R. 3278, 103rd Congress, entitled the ‘‘Income Equity Act of 1993’’, and Martin Olav 

Sabo reintroduced that legislation in each subsequent 

Congress in which he served; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo was a long-time fan of baseball 

and the Minnesota Twins and wore a Minnesota Twins 

team uniform each spring as a player on, and the manager of, the Democratic team in the annual congressional 

baseball game; 

Whereas the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was named after Representative Sabo; 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo retired from the House of Representatives in 2006 and later served as— 


sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 412 ATS 

(1) co-chair of the National Transportation Policy 

Project of the Bipartisan Policy Center; and 

(2) a member of the Minnesota Ballpark Authority; 

and 

Whereas Martin Olav Sabo will be remembered as a strong, 

civil legislator with an understated demeanor that earned 

him the reputation of being able to work on a bipartisan 

basis to get things done for the fifth congressional district of Minnesota, the State of Minnesota, and the 

United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) honors the life and accomplishments of the 

3 Honorable Martin Olav Sabo; 

4 (2) remembers the work that Martin Olav Sabo 

5 accomplished to balance the Federal budget, improve 

6 transportation and housing, and bring attention to 

7 the growing disparity between high- and low-wage 

8 earners; and 

9 (3) recognizes the indelible legacy that Martin 

10 Olav Sabo has left on the State of Minnesota and 

11 the United States. 

Æ 


sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with BILLS