Washington ? Vincent Snowbarger will serve as acting chief of a federal agency that insures private pension plans for millions of Americans, the Labor Department announced Thursday.

Snowbarger has served as deputy executive director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. since November 2004. He will serve as acting executive director, replacing Bradley Belt, whose last day on the job was Wednesday.

“Vince has been a significant part of the PBGC team. His willingness to serve as acting executive director during this interim, but important, time is very much appreciated,” said Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.

Snowbarger also is a former U.S. congressman who represented Kansas.