02.07.21

McConnell Statement on Secretary George P. Shultz

‘George Shultz was one of the great statesmen of the 20th century and one of the greatest Americans of our time.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement following the passing of former Secretary of State George P. Shultz:

“George Shultz was one of the great statesmen of the 20th century and one of the greatest Americans of our time. Secretary Shultz gave all eight decades of his adult life to his country — from his World War II service to all his years in government to the impactful writing and scholarship that he continued prodigiously churning out even after his 100th birthday last year.

“Secretary Shultz served three different presidents and held four separate cabinet positions. As President Nixon’s Secretary of Labor, he helped fight segregation. As his OMB Director and Treasury Secretary, this PhD economist led major steps to modernize the U.S. economy for a global era. As Secretary of State for six and a half of President Reagan’s eight years, Secretary Shultz personally shaped world history for the better. He kept U.S.-Soviet relations peaceful but purposeful as the free world defeated communism. And even while Secretary Shultz helped steer the muscular Reagan foreign policy, he famously won the admiration and trust of the Foreign Service and the entire Department for his thoughtfulness and integrity.

“This incredible run in government service was bookended by decades of contributions to academia. In the 1960s, Secretary Shultz served as dean of the University of Chicago’s business school. In the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, this scholar-statesman kept up an impressive writing and speaking schedule. He generously shared his wisdom with everyone from top leaders to students and young professionals.

“I was honored to host Secretary Shultz as our first-ever Distinguished Speaker at the University of Louisville’s McConnell Center back in 1993. Nobody could have better exemplified a thoughtful, principled, and patriotic commitment to public service. George’s wife Charlotte, the Shultz family, and all of the Secretary’s friends and colleagues are in our prayers.”

Related Issues: History, Tributes