For Immediate Release: February 8, 2021

Media Contact: psa@psaonline.org

Press Release: Passing of Former Ambassador George P. Shultz

Washington, D.C. – – Partnership for a Secure America (PSA) mourns the loss of PSA advisory board member Ambassador George P. Shultz, who passed away on Sunday, February 7^th. Ambassador Shultz passed away in his home in Northern California.

Ambassador Shultz was an incredibly skilled patriot and is one of only two Americans to hold four cabinet positions throughout his long career in public service. He began his work in presidential administrations as a member of the Council of Economic Advisors for President Eisenhower and went on to occupy the roles of Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Labor, and as the first director of the newly created Office of Management and Budget. Most notably, Shultz served as Secretary of State under President Reagan and spearheaded historic achievements in arms control and diplomatic negotiations with the Soviet Union that helped pave the way to ending the Cold War. Ambassador Shultz was a central leader on the global effort to prevent the U.S. from deploying Pershing-II intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe, a move that would have increased the already high tensions of the Cold War. He received the Presidential Medal of Honor in 1989 and holds a legacy as one of the United States’ greatest statesmen.

Ambassador Schultz was a champion of bipartisanship and remained a staunch and active advocate for bipartisan foreign policy after leaving office.  PSA proudly hosted Secretary Shultz in a policy forum for his first visit back to Congress. Statesmen from both sides of the political aisle have expressed their sadness at his passing while celebrating his distinguished service for this Country.

President Biden acknowledged Shultz as a man of “honor and ideas…inked into the pages of our [US] history.” Secretary of State, Antony Blinken revered Shultz as a “patriot” and a “towering figure in the history of the State Department.” He was praised by and returned his praise to his diplomatic colleagues in the Department.

PSA will miss Ambassador Shultz and is honored to have benefitted from his guidance, experience, and wisdom and sends its deepest condolences to the Ambassador’s family and friends.

 

Dear Secretary Shultz,

On behalf of the staff and Board Members of the Partnership for a Secure America (PSA), based here in Washington, D.C., I want to wish you a Happy Birthday on your 100^th year of a  successful and full life. What a wonderful and purposeful and successful life you have had – and continue to have.

We have been blessed by your membership on PSA’s Board of Advisors.  We all recall your PSA-sponsored talk with Congressional staff linking clean energy and national security during a special visit to Washington in 2013. I believe that was your first visit back to The Hill since leaving Washington years earlier.  We called that event “A Conversation with George Shultz”. I had the privilege on introducing you and moderating that event.  I remember, in response to a question from the audience, you urged ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty (CTBT); we are still not there.

I also remember, as Senator Richard G. Lugar’s foreign policy assistant, your informative testimonies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I especially remember how resolutely you supported and backed the Department’s Foreign Service and Civil Service officials at the time – and how much they welcomed and supported you as the Department’s CEO.

As you may know, PSA continues our efforts to promote a bipartisan, fact-based approach to the conduct of American foreign and national security policy.  We have created, arguably, the best Congressional Staff program in the country.  Promoting and building a base for bipartisanship in Congress has never been an easy challenge, but by including your name on our letterhead, PSA’s efforts have been infused with visibility, credibility, and significance. PSA deeply appreciates your service on our Board of Advisors and your extraordinary life of service and dedication.

We wish you a Happy Birthday, a wonderful Holiday Season, and healthy New Year.

Sincerely,

Andrew K. Semmel

Chair, Board of Directors