2005 Assembly Joint Resolution 70
ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: the life and public service of William Proxmire.
Whereas, William Proxmire was born on November 11, 1915, in Lake Forest, Illinois, and died in Sykesville, Maryland, on December 15, 2005; and
Whereas, William Proxmire received a B.A. degree from Yale University in 1938, an M.B.A. degree in 1940, and an M.P.A. degree in 1948 from Harvard University; and
Whereas, William Proxmire served his nation during World War II in military intelligence from 1941 to 1946; and
Whereas, William Proxmire was elected to the Wisconsin assembly in 1950 and served in the 1951 session; and
Whereas, William Proxmire represented the state of Wisconsin in the U.S. senate from 1957 to 1989; and
Whereas, William Proxmire personally greeted many of his Wisconsin constituents; and
Whereas, William Proxmire became a familiar face on the television network Sunday news shows; and
Whereas, William Proxmire's 32 years of service in the U.S. senate, where he cast more than 10,000 roll call votes, was the longest in Wisconsin's history; and
Whereas, while serving in the U.S. senate, one of his proudest achievements was the senate's approval of an international genocide treaty in 1986; and
Whereas, William Proxmire was an advocate of physical fitness who frequently jogged to his capitol office long before such activity became commonplace; and
Whereas, William Proxmire was responsible for creating the "Golden Fleece" awards which began in 1975 to point out what he thought were frivolous expenditures, and which became a Washington tradition; and
Whereas, William Proxmire leaves behind an unparalleled legacy as a defender of the American taxpayer and one of the hardest working senators in U.S. history; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the members of the Wisconsin legislature commend the devoted public service of William Proxmire to the people of Wisconsin, express their sorrow at his death, and extend their condolences to his family and friends; and, be it further
Resolved, That the assembly chief clerk shall provide a copy of this joint resolution to Mr. Proxmire's wife, Ellen; and his children, Theodore Proxmire of Bethesda, Maryland; Elsie Proxmire Zwerner of Scottsdale, Arizona; Mary Ellen Poulos of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Jan Licht of Naperville, Illinois.
