The USGLC family joins New Mexico and the nation in mourning the loss of Ambassador Bill Richardson, a longtime coalition leader and indefatigable defender of America’s leadership in the world. The former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Governor of New Mexico, Richardson a longtime member of USGLC’s National Advisory Council and served as co-chair of USGLC’s New Mexico State Advisory Council. Richardson’s boundless energy and creative policymaking have served this coalition for over a decade and his contributions will be sorely missed.

With a diverse career of public service – from representing the Third Congressional District of New Mexico from 1982 to 1996, serving as U.S. Ambassador to the UN and Secretary of Energy under President Clinton – Ambassador Richardson demonstrated an unwavering belief in America as a force for good in the world.

After decades of service in office, Richardson continued his work on the global stage, employing his experience as a diplomat and a personal negotiating style to secure the release of hostages, American servicemembers, and detainees from countries including, North Korea, Sudan, Iraq, Iran and Cuba.

At a USGLC town hall in Ohio in 2012, alongside former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Ambassador Richardson spoke out to young people: “If there’s one message I have to young people… get into public service… it can be exciting, it’s challenging… international work either the foreign service or USAID or intelligence or military… I would hope that you consider part of your lives in public service.”

We pay tribute to Ambassador Richardson’s lifetime of service to our country and to our coalition and send our thoughts and prayers to his wife Barbara and his entire family.