[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 9, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING ROBERT F. JORDAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RANDY HULTGREN

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2012

  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring the attention of the 
House of Representatives to a momentous occasion, the 85th birthday of 
Mr. Robert F. Jordan, to be celebrated on May 25, 2012, and to 
recognize the work he has done, first as a United States diplomat for 
more than 36 years, and in retirement, as an integral part of the US-
Asia Institute.
  Mr. Robert F. Jordan was born and raised in Framingham, 
Massachusetts. He served overseas in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1947 
and then attended the University of Massachusetts, graduating in 1951. 
From 1951 to 1956 he was a high school teacher of Algebra and Spanish.
  In 1956 he started a 36-year diplomatic career with the U.S. 
Information Agency, serving as the Public Affairs Officer and director 
of the United States Information Service in 11 countries in Asia, 
Europe and Latin America with responsibility for all U.S. government 
press and cultural exchange programs. Mr. Jordan learned four foreign 
languages--Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese. He was president 
of the Fulbright Commission in several countries and was also president 
of the Government of Ireland's scholarship board. While on a Washington 
tour he was assigned to USIA's inspection corps and conducted policy 
and public diplomacy inspections of American embassies in some 40 
countries worldwide.
  Mr. Jordan is the recipient of several meritorious and superior honor 
awards and performance pay awards from USIA, the Department of Defense 
and the Department of State. He also received the Order of Merit from 
the Government of Portugal.
  Following retirement in 1992 Mr. Jordan was called back by both USIA 
and the Department of State to conduct policy inspections of some 20 
embassies worldwide. Then from 1995 to 2001 he worked for the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency handling the Spanish-speaking media on 
disasters around the country. All total during his career, he has 
honorably represented the United States in over 100 countries around 
the world.
  In 1994 95 and then since 2007, Mr. Jordan has volunteered his time 
at the US-Asia Institute as a senior advisor and serving as Vice 
President of International and Government Affairs. In this role, he 
works closely with the Asian diplomatic community as well as with the 
U.S. Congress, and numerous delegations from Asia. He is committed to 
the mission and goals of the US-Asia Institute, promoting dialogue on 
international issues of common interest to the United States and Asian 
nations, whenever and however possible. In the course of his work, Mr. 
Jordan has led numerous delegations of Congressional staff to China and 
Singapore. He spent his 80th birthday on the Great Wall of China.
  In his retirement, Mr. Jordan continues to work tirelessly to promote 
mutual understanding and communication between the U.S. and the 
countries and people of Asia. As he celebrates this latest milestone, 
we say thank you to Mr. Jordan for his sage counsel, his inimitable 
vision, his quiet behind-the-scenes diplomacy, and his unwavering 
commitment to the U.S.-Asia relationship.

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