Robert Schwarz Strauss

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Robert Schwarz Strauss (born in Lockhart, Texas, September 19, 1918) was a United States Ambassador and high-powered Texas political figure. He was closely associated in Texas politics with the conservative Democratic faction led by Lyndon Johnson and John Connally. He served as the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee between 1972 and 1977, and was recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom on January 16, 1981. During the administration of former president Jimmy Carter, Strauss served as the United States Trade Representative and as a special envoy to the Middle East. He served as the last U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union in 1991 and served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from 1991 until 1993. He is a founding partner of the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.

Strauss has an interest in biomedical issues and has endowed two chairs at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas: the Helen and Robert S. Strauss Professorship in Pediatric Neurology and the Helen and Robert S. Strauss Professorship in Urology.

[edit] See also

• List of U.S. political appointments that crossed party lines

Preceded by: Jean Westwood	Chairman of the Democratic National Committee 1972 – 1977	Succeeded by: Kenneth M. Curtis
Preceded by: Frederick B. Dent	United States Trade Representative 1977–1979	Succeeded by: Reubin O'Donovan Askew

United States Trade Representative
Herter • Roth • Gilbert • Eberle • Dent • Strauss • Askew • Brock • Yeutter • Hills • Kantor • Barshefsky • Zoellick • Portman • Schwab