INDIANA– Today, Indiana is mourning the passing of former Congressman Lee Hamilton.
Lee Hamilton, a 17-term congressman serving southern Indiana, whose foreign policy expertise, reverence for democracy, and bipartisan ideals made him a towering and highly respected figure in national politics, died Wednesday. He was 94.
“Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the loss of a giant in Hoosier Democratic politics,” said Monroe County Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian. “Former Congressman Lee Hamilton had a tremendous impact on our state and our country, served Southern Indiana as a champion for working families, and shaped foreign policy in Congress for decades. Our thoughts are with the family of Congressman Hamilton and the entire Southern Indiana Democratic community.”
Governor Mike Braun has directed flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of former U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton.
Hamilton, a Democrat, served as vice chair of the 9/11 commission and chair of the House committee investigating covert arms transactions with Iran.
He had a deep connection to Indiana University, where he graduated from law school in 1956. Hamilton’s name is on Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He started IU’s Center on Representative Government as the Center on Congress. IU is home to Hamilton’s congressional papers.
In 2015, president Barack Obama awarded Hamilton the Presidental Medal of Freedom.
At the ceremony, Obama quoted Hamilton as having said, “At its best, representative democracy gives us a system where all of us have a voice in the process and a stake in the product.”
Obama added, “In his 34 years in Congress, Lee Hamilton was a faithful servant of that ideal, representing his district, his beloved Indiana, and his country with integrity and honor.”
Hamilton represented Indiana’s 9th Congressional District from 1965 to 1999.
“Indiana mourns the passing of Lee Hamilton, a man whose life embodied integrity, civility, and public service. We extend our prayers to his family and honor his legacy of serving Hoosiers,” said Governor Mike Braun.
Hamilton was born April 30, 1931, in Daytona Beach, Fla. He grew up in Evansville and received his undergraduate degree from DePauw University, where Hamilton also played basketball.
Governor Braun has ordered flags to be lowered statewide at all state facilities immediately until sunset on the day of his internment, which will be shared once public. Governor Braun encourages all Hoosiers to help honor Hamilton by lowering flags to half-staff at their homes and businesses.
“Rep. Hamilton’s legacy of service continues to reverberate, and his leadership continues to be a shining example of how legislators should serve their constituents in Congress. He exemplified public service in his responsiveness and ability to work across the aisle, even on the most important issues. Through his work on the Iran-contra scandal, the 9/11 Commission, and the Iraq Study Group, Rep. Hamilton fought so the American people would always have a transparent look at their government. It may be impossible to fill the shoes that Rep. Hamilton walked in, but his legacy has never been more important at a time when political divides continue to grow. May we carry on Rep. Hamilton’s vision of leadership that isn’t afraid of working across the aisle, even when it may be politically inconvenient,” Tallian added.
In addition to the statement from Chair Tallian, Ninth District Democratic Party Chair Adam Dickey also released the following statement.
“Today we are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and mentor, former Congressman Lee H. Hamilton. His accomplishments – whether in the halls of Congress, in the world of foreign affairs and international relations, as a lawyer and in civic life, or as a scholar and academic – will long be celebrated and serve to illustrate the model of a true American Statesman. He was a defining figure in Indiana politics and specifically for our 9th Congressional District and Democratic Party.
“But Lee’s most profound impact will always be as a friend and mentor, and I am proud to have been blessed to call him both. Whether as a young kid witnessing his care and concern for others, as a role model instructing our system of governance, or as a mentor who would help navigate political opportunities and challenges, he never lost sight of what truly matters – the bond we share to each other.
“Whether as a confidant to presidents or a mentor to those of us here at home, Lee genuinely cared for those he served and worked to make our world a better place. Indeed, it is fitting that one of my last contacts with him in the past few months was to arrange an opportunity for him to mentor young leaders just starting their path as community servants.
“I and our party extend our deepest sympathies to the Hamilton family, as well as his extended family and friends during this difficult time,” Dickey said.
