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Bill Richardson was named United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations by President Bill Clinton on December 13, 1996. He is a member of the President's Cabinet and is also a member of the National Security Council. Ambassador Richardson was sworn in to office on February 13, 1997 by Vice President Gore. |
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Prior to becoming the U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN, Bill Richardson
served New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District - one of the largest and most ethnically diverse in the country - and was elected eight times. As a member of the United States Congress, Richardson held one of the highest ranking posts in the House Democratic Leadership. He was a |
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member of the Resources Committee, the Commerce |
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Committee, the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence and the Helsinki Commission on Human Rights. During the 103rd Congress, he chaired the Subcommittee on Native American
Affairs. He has been described as one of the most "prolific legislators in the House," with numerous bills and amendments enacted in the
environment, energy, Indian, health, foreign policy and defense areas. |
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Admired for his work as President Clinton's special envoy on many sensitive diplomatic missions, Ambassador Richardson was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize a second time in January, 1997. As a diplomatic "trouble shooter" he has worked to free hostages in several countries including Bangladesh, Burma, Iraq, and North Korea. Most recently Ambassador Richardson successfully secured the release of three Red Cross workers taken hostage in the Sudan. In 1996 he held a historic meeting with Cuba's Fidel Castro during which he successfully negotiated the release of three political prisoners and visas for their families. Ambassador Richardson has also chaired U.S. observer teams for elections in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and East Germany. |
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Ambassador Richardson received a B.A. (1970) from Tufts University and an M.A. (1971) from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. |
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Ambassador Richardson is fluent in Spanish, with good speaking and reading abilities in French. |
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Ambassador Richardson currently resides in New York with his wife Barbara. |
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