Biography and speech of Senator George Mitchell

George Mitchell was appointed to the US Senate in 1980 to complete the unexpired term of Senator Edmund Muskie and was elected to the Senate in 1982. In 1988 he was re-elected with 81% of the vote, the largest margin in the history of Maine. He served fourteen years in the Senate, becoming Senate Majority Leader in 1989. He enjoyed bipartisan respect and for six consecutive years was voted ‘the most respected Member’ of the Senate. Among his interests were finance and trade, the environment and social welfare. He led legislative initiatives on transport, higher education, child care and the extension of civil rights protections to those with disabilities. He left the US Senate in 1995 and President Clinton appointed him special advisor to the President of the United States and Secretary of State for economic initiatives in Ireland. He authored the Mitchell Report on Decommissioning and chaired the Northern Ireland Multi-Party Talks 1996-98. Among his numerous awards and honours is the Presidential Medal of Freedom which is the highest civil honour bestowed by the US Government.