Lee Hamilton dies at 94

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“It is with deep respect and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Rep. Lee H. Hamilton, a revered public servant and beloved colleague whose legacy and name are foundations for the Hamilton Lugar School,” John D. Ciorciari, Dean Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies Indiana University, wrote in an email last week.
Rep. Hamilton passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
For the last 28 years, every other week, he wrote a commentary about how Congress and our representative democracy work and—just as frequently—about how they should work. 
He also wrote a weekly column for the 34 years he served in Congress before that.
Hamilton’s death came after he’d put the finishing touches on this week’s column. It will be his last of well over 2,000 commentaries over the course of his career.
Many of his columns are as timely today as when they were written. You may see us revisit some of his columns from past years from time to time.
Lee Hamilton was a Senior Advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government; a Distinguished Scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; and a Professor of Practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.
After leaving Congress in 1999, Hamilton stayed active and influential in national affairs. In 2002, Republican President George W. Bush named him vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission. His co-chair was Thomas H. Kean, the former Republican governor of New Jersey. The panel of five Democrats and five Republicans conducted the most comprehensive inquiry of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
 “Few public servants have shaped our understanding of democracy, global engagement, and principled leadership as profoundly as Lee Hamilton,” Indiana University President Pam Whitten said. “His lifelong commitment to public service reflects the very best of our democratic ideals and left an enduring impact on our nation.” 
Lee Hamilton dedicated himself to building a more informed, collaborative, and peaceful world. His legacy endures in every student who walks through our doors and in every act of service that advances the greater good, Ciorciari said.