6-13-15 former fdl congressman petri honored

Former Fond du Lac congressman Tom Petri has been formally presented with the insignia recognising his appointment as an honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.  The award was presented during a ceremony at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Washington DC.    The insignia was presented to Congressman Petri by British Ambassador,  Sir Peter Westmacott, on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  The Award was presented in  recognition of his role in promoting UK-US transatlantic relations by championing ties between Congress and the UK Parliament.  Petri served in congress from 1979 until 2015 when he decided against seeking re-election.  He led the House British-American Parliamentary Group from 2001 until his retirement.   Following his trip to the Falkland Islands in 2013, Congressman Petri emerged as an avid supporter of the Islands. He has advocated on their behalf in a Congressional Resolution on  the Falkland Islands referendum, and encouraged his colleagues to support the Islanders right to self-determination.