 George J. Mitchell was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1980
to complete the unexpired term of Senator Edmund S. Muskie, who resigned to
become Secretary of State. Senator George Mitchell was elected to a full term in
the Senate in 1982 in a stunning come-from-behind victory. After trailing in the
public opinion polls by 36 points, he rallied to win the election, receiving 61
percent of the votes cast. Senator George Mitchell went on to an illustrious
career in the Senate spanning 14 years. In 1988, he was reelected with 81
percent of the vote, the largest margin in the history of Maine . He left the
Senate in 1995 as the Senate Majority Leader, a position he had held since
January 1989. He enjoyed bipartisan respect during his tenure. It has been said,
"there is not a man, woman or child in the Capitol who does not trust George
Mitchell." For six consecutive years he was voted "the most respected member" of
the Senate.
Recently, Senator George Mitchell served as chairperson of
the Peace Negotiations in Northern Ireland . Under his leadership an historic
accord, ending decades of conflict, was agreed on by the governments of Ireland
and the United Kingdom and the political parties of Northern Ireland . In May
1998, the agreement was overwhelmingly endorsed by the voters of Ireland , North
and South, in a referendum. Senator George Mitchell's leadership in Northern
Ireland earned him worldwide praise. He has been nominated for the 1998 Nobel
Peace Prize for his efforts.
While in the Senate, Senator George Mitchell served on the
Finance, Veterans Affairs, and Environment and Public Works Committees. His work
led to the enactment of nursing home standards in 1987 and the evaluation of
medical care outcomes in 1989. In his work on the Finance Committee, he
concentrated on the Medicare program, welfare reform, and tax fairness
legislation. Senator George Mitchell was the impetus for the 1990
reauthorization of the Clean Air Act, including new controls on acid rain
toxins, and led the Senate to pass the nation's first child care bill. He
authored the first national oil spill prevention and clean up law and the low
income housing tax credit program, and was a major force behind the passage in
1991 of a major transportation bill which provided a boost to the economy by
creating millions of jobs, rebuilding the nation's deteriorating infrastructure,
and assisting with mass transit needs.
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