Former
United States Senator Paul Simon talks about his rise to the Senate, his
political achievements and his current focus on the national and international
water crisis. Simon retired at the peak of his career to become a professor
at Southern Illinois University (SIU)
where he founded and directs the Public Policy Institute at the SIU Carbondale
campus.
When he retired, Simon was Illinois’ senior senator. In the 104th
Congress, he served on the budget, labor and human resources, judiciary
and Indian affairs committees. Simon wrote the National Literacy Act and
was the leading Senate champion of the new direct college loan program.
He was also the chief sponsor of the balanced budget amendment
At the age of 19, Simon became the nation’s youngest editor-publisher
when he accepted a local Lion’s Club challenge to save the Troy Tribune.
He built a chain of 13 newspapers which he sold in 1966 to devote himself
full-time to public service and writing.