Muskie 72

Green illustration of an evergreen tree with Muskie 72 at the bottom on a white background

Edmund Sixtus Muskie, March 28, 1914 - March 26, 1996, had a noteworthy career in state and federal government that spanned five decades. Beginning as a member of the House of Representatives from 1946 to 1951 and later serving as governor of Maine from 1955 - 1959, Muskie served in the U.S. Senate from 1959 - 1980. Muskie, an environmental advocate during his time as governor, brought his love of the environment to the U.S. Senate. His work in the Senate led to the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970 and the Clean Water Act in 1972. In 1968, he was the Vice Presidential Democratic nominee. In 1972, Muskie was the front runner for the Democratic Presidential nomination losing to George McGovern. In 1980, he was appointed Secretary of State by President Jimmy Carter and served until the end of President Carter’s term in January 1981.