[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 82 (Thursday, May 17, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6312-S6313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 210--HONORING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF STEPHEN JOEL 
   TRACHTENBERG AS PRESIDENT OF THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN 
  WASHINGTON, D.C., IN RECOGNITION OF HIS UPCOMING RETIREMENT IN JULY 
                                  2007

  Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself, Mr. Enzi, and Mr. Inouye) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 210

       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg has served since 1988 as 
     the 15th president of The George Washington University;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg served as the third 
     president of the University of Hartford in Hartford, 
     Connecticut, from 1977 to 1988;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, a native of Brooklyn, 
     New York, was an accomplished author, scholar, and educator, 
     and has earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues, 
     peers, and students;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg earned a bachelor of arts 
     degree from Columbia University in 1959, a juris doctor 
     degree from Yale University in 1962, and a master of public 
     administration degree from Harvard University in 1966;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg was selected as a Winston 
     Churchill Traveling Fellow for study in Oxford, England, in 
     1968;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg was celebrated by the 
     Connecticut Region of Hadassah with the Myrtle Wreath Award 
     in 1982, was presented with The Mt. Scopus Award from Hebrew 
     University in Jerusalem in 1984, and received the Human 
     Relations Award from the National Conference of Christians 
     and Jews in 1987;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg was honored with the 
     Distinguished Public Service Award from the Connecticut Bar 
     Association in 1988, and was recognized by the Hartford 
     branch of the National Association for the Advancement of 
     Colored People for his contributions to the education of 
     minority students;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg received the 
     International Salute Award in honor of Martin Luther King, 
     Jr. in 1992, and the Hannah G. Solomon Award from the 
     National Council of Jewish Women;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg was awarded the John Jay 
     Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement in 1995 by 
     Columbia University, the Newcomen Society Award, and the 
     Spirit of Democracy Award from the American Jewish Congress;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg received an honorary 
     doctor of medicine degree from the Odessa State Medical 
     University in Ukraine in 1996, the Distinguished Service 
     Award from the American Association of University 
     Administrators, and the B'nai B'rith Humanitarian Award;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg received the Department 
     of State Secretary's Open Forum Distinguished Public Service 
     Award in 1997, and the Grand Cross, the highest honor of the 
     Scottish Rite of Freemasonry;
       Whereas ``Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Day'' was declared by 
     resolution of the Council of the District of Columbia on 
     January 22, 1998, in honor of his commitments to minority 
     students, scholarship programs, public school partnerships, 
     and community service;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg was honored by Boston 
     University in 1999, where he previously served as a vice 
     president and as an academic dean, with an honorary doctor of 
     humane letters degree;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg received the Tree of Life 
     Award from the Jewish National Fund;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg was named a Washingtonian 
     of the Year 2000 by Washingtonian Magazine, was decorated as 
     a Grand Officier Du Wissam Al Alaoui by King Mohammed VI of 
     Morocco in 2000, and was awarded the Order of St. John of 
     Jerusalem, Knight Grand Cross for Distinguished Service to 
     Freemasonry and Humanity;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg received honorary doctor 
     of laws degrees from Southern Connecticut State University, 
     the University of New Haven, Mount Vernon College, and 
     Richmond College in London;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg was named a Fellow of the 
     American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was awarded the 
     Department of the Treasury's Medal of Merit;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg received the Humanitarian 
     Award from the Albert B. Sabin Institute, and the District of 
     Columbia Business Leader of the Year Award from the District 
     of Columbia Chamber of Commerce;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg performed public service 
     as an attorney with the Atomic Energy Commission, as an aide 
     to former Indiana Representative John Brademas, and as a 
     special assistant at the Department of Health, Education, and 
     Welfare;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg authored ``Reflections on 
     Higher Education'', published in 2002, ``Thinking Out Loud'', 
     published in 1998, and ``Speaking His Mind'', published in 
     1994;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg serves on the boards of 
     the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel and the 
     International Association of University Presidents, and as a 
     member of the Council on Foreign Relations;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, as president of The 
     George Washington University, opened new buildings for the 
     School of Business and the Elliott School of International 
     Affairs and a new hospital, and added the Mount Vernon 
     Campus, formerly the Mount Vernon College for Women, to the 
     university;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, as president of The 
     George Washington University, created 5 new schools, the 
     School of Public Health and Health Services, the School of 
     Public Policy and Public Administration, the College of 
     Professional Studies, the Graduate School of Political 
     Management, and the School of Media and Public Affairs;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, as president of The 
     George Washington University, ``reinvented'' the university's 
     position and positive reputation as Washington, D.C.'s center 
     of scholarship;
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg will continue, after 
     retiring as the third-longest-serving president of The George 
     Washington University, as University Professor of Public 
     Service and President Emeritus; and
       Whereas Stephen Joel Trachtenberg and his wife, Francine 
     Zorn Trachtenberg, have 2 sons, Adam and Ben: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors and salutes the accomplishments of Stephen Joel 
     Trachtenberg and recognizes his deeds throughout his 19 years 
     of service as president of The George Washington University 
     in Washington, D.C.;
       (2) recognizes the accomplishments and achievements of 
     Stephen Joel Trachtenberg in higher education, as an author, 
     as an attorney, and as a public official; and
       (3) based upon his service, extends its appreciation to 
     Stephen Joel Trachtenberg in recognition of his retirement as 
     president of The George Washington University.

  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a resolution, 
along with my colleague Senators Enzi and Inouye, to honor the 
accomplishments of Stephen Joel Trachtenberg. This resolution honors a 
remarkable man. President Trachtenberg is about to retire in July 2007 
as the third-longest serving President of George Washington University, 
one of this country's premier educational organizations; an institution 
that contributes deeply, year after year, to our understanding of the 
world around us.
  I have known Steve Trachtenberg for a long time, since his service in 
Connecticut as the third President of the University of Hartford from 
1977 to 1988. He is a proud native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and as an 
accomplished author, scholar, and educator, he has earned the respect 
and admiration of his colleagues, peers and students. I know he is also 
proud of his wife, Francine Zorn Trachtenberg, and his two sons, Adam 
and Ben.
  President Trachtenberg earned his bachelor's degree from Columbia 
University in 1959, and showed his skill at making sound decisions by 
going to Yale to get his law degree in 1962. A Master of Public 
Administration degree followed later from Harvard.
  Prior to his illustrious career in academia, he served in government 
as a special assistant to the U.S. Education Commissioner at the 
Department of Health, Education and Welfare, as an attorney with the 
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, and on the Hill as a legislative aide to 
former Indiana Congressman John Brademas.
  President Trachtenberg's has won numerous well-deserved awards and

[[Page S6313]]

honorary degrees. I will only site a few examples here. In 1982 he was 
celebrated by the Connecticut Region of Hadassah with the Myrtle Wreath 
Award. In 1984 he was presented with The Mt. Scopus Award from Hebrew 
University in Jerusalem, and in 1987 received the Human Relations Award 
from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
  In 1988 he was honored with the Distinguished Public Service Award 
from the Connecticut Bar Association, and was proudly recognized by the 
Hartford NAACP for his contributions to the education of minority 
students. In 1992 he received the International Salute Award in honor 
of Martin Luther King, Jr.
  He was even named ``Washingtonian of the Year 2000'' by Washingtonian 
Magazine, was decorated in 2000 with a medal by King Mohammed VI of 
Morocco, and was awarded the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight 
Grand Cross for Distinguished Service to Freemasonry and Humanity.
  For all he has done, ``Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Day'' was declared 
by resolution of the Council of the District of Columbia, on January 
22, 1998, in honor of his commitments to minority students, scholarship 
programs, public school partnerships and community service. Not to be 
outdone, ``Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Day in San Francisco!'' was 
declared by Proclamation of the City and County of San Francisco, on 
February 2, 1999.
  He is also a respected author writing Reflections on Higher Education 
in 2002, Thinking Out Loud in 1998, and Speaking His Mind in 1994.
  As President of George Washington University he opened new buildings 
for the School of Business and the Elliott School of International 
Affairs, a new hospital, and added the Mount Vernon Campus, formerly 
the Mount Vernon College for Women. He also created five new schools: 
Public Health and Health Services, Public Policy and Public 
Administration, College of Professional Studies, Graduate School of 
Political Management, and Media and Public Affairs. Importantly he 
``reinvented'' the University's position and positive reputation as 
Washington, D.C.'s center of scholarship.
  After all of these accomplishments he is retiring as President of the 
George Washington University, but will continue as President Emeritus 
and as a University Professor of Public Service.
  In this resolution, the Senate:
  1. honors and salutes the accomplishments of Stephen Joel 
Trachtenberg and recognizes his deeds throughout his 19 years of 
service as President of The George Washington University in Washington, 
D.C.;
  2. recognizes his accomplishments and achievements in higher 
education, as an author, as an attorney and as a public official; and
  3. based upon his service extends its appreciation to him in 
recognition of his retirement as President of The George Washington 
University in Washington, D.C.
  Mr. President, I urge the Senate to act quickly on this resolution to 
honor the efforts of President Trachtenberg on behalf of so many who 
have benefited from his extraordinary service.

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