Martha S. Pope

Martha S. Pope is an American public servant who participated in peace initiatives in Northern Ireland that led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. She also served as the sergeant at arms of the United States Senate[2] from 1991 to 1994, the first woman to hold the role. She briefly served as Secretary of the United States Senate for a few months in 1994[3] before she was asked to assist in the Northern Ireland peace process. Pope is the only person in the history of the U.S. Senate to hold both the important Secretary and Sergeant at Arms positions. She was also Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell.[1][4] She is also a pastel artist.

Martha S. Pope
Senior Advisor for the Northern Ireland Peace Negotiations
In office
January 4, 1995 – July 1998
PresidentBill Clinton
26th Secretary of the United States Senate
In office
April 15, 1994 – January 3, 1995
Preceded byWalter J. Stewart
Succeeded bySheila P. Burke
31st Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate
In office
January 3, 1991 – April 14, 1994
LeaderGeorge J. Mitchell
Preceded byHenry K. Giugni
Succeeded byRobert Laurent Benoit
Personal details
Born1945 or 1946 (age 77–78)[1]
New Castle, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Connecticut (BA)
Southern Connecticut State University (MA)

Early life and education

Pope was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania but grew up in Connecticut. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Connecticut in 1967, where she majored in sociology and anthropology and minored in art[5] before earning a master’s degree in art education at Southern Connecticut State University.

Career in public service

After teaching art for five years in elementary and junior high school, Pope moved to Washington, D.C., to work for Senator Gary Hart from 1975 to 1977. In 1977, Pope left Capitol Hill to work for the National Wildlife Federation, only to return to the Hill in 1979 to work for Senator John Culver. When Culver lost his bid for reelection in 1980, Senator George J. Mitchell kept her on at the Environment and Public Works Committee staff before hiring her first as his administrative assistant in 1985 and later as the chief of staff in 1989 when he became majority leader.[6][5] In 1989, the second edition of The Almanac of the Unelected characterize her as "glue - she makes things work."[7]

In 1991, Mitchell had Pope appointed Sergeant at Arms to replace the retiring Henry K. Giugni.[8] While serving as Sergeant at Arms, Pope updated the Senate's antiquated dress code in 1993 to allow women to wear pants on the Senate floor. This brought the Senate dress code rules more inline with contemporary rules used in the business world, in state legislatures, and in the House of Representatives.[9][10][11] After Walter J. Stewart announced his retirement as Secretary to the Senate in 1994, Mitchell made arrangements so that Pope would succeed Stewart as Secretary prior to Mitchell's own planned retirement from the Senate.[12]

In January 1995, Pope left her job at the Senate to assist her former boss, the newly appointed United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland and former Senator Mitchell, as Senior Advisor for the Northern Ireland Peace Negotiations until July 1998,[13] after the peace agreement went in effect.

In recognition of "her outstanding contribution to peace talks, which led to the Good Friday Agreement", Pope was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) from Ulster University on July 4, 2019.[14]

In 2001, Pope became a member of the Hofstra University board of trustees.[15]

References
  1. "Aide to Mitchell Selected by Senate as Its First Woman Sergeant-at-Arms". Los Angeles Times. January 4, 1991. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  2. "Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate: Legislative and Administrative Duties". Congressional Research Service. March 21, 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  3. "Secretary of the Senate". United States Senate. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  4. "Martha Pope". Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  5. Nystrom, Duane; Mason, Leslie (1993). 1993-1994 Official Congressional Directory: 103rd Congress. p. 614 – via Google Books. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  6. Williams, Brien (November 30, 2009). "Interview with Martha Pope and David Pozorski by Brien Williams". George J. Mitchell Oral History Project. Retrieved 12 January 2021 – via Bowdoin College.
  7. "Washington Talk: Guest List – Honoring the Power of the Hill's Unelected". New York Times. May 9, 1989. p. B10.
  8. Pincus, Walter (November 9, 1990). "Sergeant-At-Arms Giugni Announces Retirement". Washington Post.
  9. Romano, Lois (July 2, 1993). "The Reliable Source". Washington Post.
  10. Foster, Cassandra (June 9, 2005). "The Long and Short of Capitol Style". Roll Call.
  11. "A look at women's advances over the years in Congress". PBS. November 4, 2017.
  12. Hastings, Mike (November 30, 2009). "Interview with Larry Benoit by Mike Hastings". George J. Mitchell Oral History Project. Retrieved 17 January 2021 – via Bowdoin College.
  13. Form 485BPOS Citizens Funds Post-effective amendment [Rule 485(b)]. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Report). 2001-09-24. p. 9.
  14. "Peace advocate Martha Pope honoured by Ulster University". Ulster University. July 4, 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  15. "Newsmakers". Long Island Business News. March 30, 2001.
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