Edmund S. Muskie

Edmund S. Muskie (1914-1996) was a Democratic Party member of the Maine House of Representatives (1946-1951), Governor of Maine and a two-term member of the United States Senate.

Background

"Edmund S. Muskie's contributions to the state of Maine and the nation and his service in both the executive and legislative branches set the standard of excellence in public service that the Muskie School seeks to instill in its students and to sustain in all its efforts.

"When the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service was names in his honor, Senator Muskie challenged students, faculty and researchers to make a real difference in the lives of the people of Maine and the nation.

"Edmund S. Muskie was born in 1914 in Rumford, Maine. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Bates College and went on to receive his law degree from Cornell University. His distinguished career in public service began with his election to the Maine House of Representatives, where he served from 1946 -1951. He was elected Governor of Maine in 1954, the first Democrat in 20 years, and served two terms before being elected to the United States Senate in 1958.

"During his twenty-two years in the Senate, he served on the Foreign Relations Committee, the Governmental Affairs Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, and as Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget. He was active in writing new laws, including the early environmental protection legislation of 1963 and 1966, and sponsorship of (among others) the Intergovernmental Relations Act (1959), the Model Cities Act (1966), the Clean Air Act (1970), the Clean Water Act (1972), and the Budget Reform Act (1974).

"In 1968, he was the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice-President, and in 1972, he ran for the Presidency. He served as Secretary of State under Jimmy Carter. He is the recipient of both the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Distinguished Service Award.

"After leaving public office, Mr. Muskie was a senior partner with Chadbourne & Parke, an international law firm with offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, London, Moscow, and New Delhi. He was Chairman of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University; Chairman Emeritus of the Center for National Policy; and served on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget."

• Former Director, Center for National Policy

Resources and articles

Related Links

• MUSKIE, Edmund Sixtus, 1914-1996, Biographical Directory of the American Congress
• A Biographical Note, Edmund S. Muskie (1914-1996), Bates College