Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Lee Hamilton, who represented Indiana’s 9th Congressional District from 1965 to 1999 and served as vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission, died Tuesday. He was 94.
Details regarding Hamilton’s death and plans for memorial services were not immediately made public.
Hamilton had a storied career in Indiana politics that started at the county level and led him to more than three decades in the House of Representatives. In his retirement, Hamilton strengthened his relationship with Indiana University, working there as a professor of practice and authoring two books about Congress published by IU Press.
In 2018, IU honored Hamilton and another noted Hoosier statesman by announcing the naming of the Lee H. Hamilton and Richard G. Lugar School of Global and International Studies.
In a written statement, IU President Pamela Whitten said, “Few public servants have shaped our understanding of democracy, global engagement, and principled leadership as profoundly as Lee Hamilton. His lifelong commitment to public service reflects the very best of our democratic ideals and left an enduring impact on our nation.”
In a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Indiana Sen. Todd Young wrote “Indiana lost a giant today.
“Lee Hamilton was a statesman, a respected voice on national security, and a strong advocate for Hoosiers,” Young wrote. “He was also a friend, an insightful writer, and a unique voice on the institution of Congress.”
Hamilton, who was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, on April 20, 1931, was raised in southern Indiana, graduating from Evansville’s Central High School in 1948, according to a biography assembled by IU Libraries. He was a star basketball player in high school, and continued his sports career at DePauw University, where his prowess eventually earned him a spot in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
After a year studying abroad at Goethe University in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, he returned an earned a degree from the IU Law School, graduating in 1956. While working in private practice, Hamilton became increasingly politically involved – serving as chairman of the Bartholomew County Citizens for Kennedy in 1960; as treasurer of the Bartholomew County Young Democrats from 1960 to 1963 and later as its president from 1963 to 1964; and as manager for Birch Bayh’s Senate campaign in Bartholomew County.
Hamilton first ran for Congress in 1964 and won.
He served on nearly a dozen committees during his time in Congress, ranging from the Post Office and Civil Service Committee to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, according to IU Libraries.
But his work on investigations related to international affairs brought him national attention: he served on the Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran (also known as Iran-Contra) in 1987, and the Task Force to Investigate Certain Allegations Concerning Holding of Americans as Hostages in Iran in 1980 – better known as the October Surprise Task Force – which he chaired from 1991 to 1992.
Years after leaving the House, Hamilton served as vice chair of the the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, widely referred to as the 9/11 Commission. Once the commission’s mandate expired, Hamilton was among the commissioners who created the 9/11 Public Discourse Project, which he contributed to through 2005.
He continued to write reflections on government and governance, a series called “Hamilton on Foreign Policy” posted to the Hamilton Lugar School’s website, through the end of January.
His latest, titled “Congress must address America’s immigration dilemma,” calls on the legislative body to put an end to the violence and disruption seen in cities like Minneapolis, where two anti-Immigrations and Customs Enforcement protesters have been killed, by expanding pathways for legal immigration and creating more humane policies for those living here without documentation.
“Meanwhile, the chaos and divisions show that the need to fix our outdated immigration system has become more urgent than ever,” he wrote. “It’s past time for Congress to roll up its sleeves and get to work.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun on Wednesday ordered flags at all state facilities to be lowered to half staff until the day of Hamilton’s burial, details for which have not yet been released.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.