WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 28, 2006)-President Traian Basescu of Romania today awarded the National "Star of Romania" Medal, Commander Rank, the highest commendation granted to a foreign citizen by Romania to State Senator Chris Lauzen (R-Aurora) in   recognition of Lauzen's work to build bridges of friendship and commerce between the people of Romania and the United States.  Attending the ceremony in Washington, D.C. were the Romanian President, who yesterday met with U.S. President George Bush, Foreign Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, Romanian Ambassador to the U.S. Sorin Ducaru, Consul General George Predescu from Chicago, and a special delegation of Romanian and U.S. business and government leaders, and Senator Lauzen's wife, Sarah.

Former Romanian President Ion Iliescu visited Senator Lauzen at his home in Aurora in September 2004 and invited him to make his first visit to Romania from where all four of Senator Lauzen's grandparents had immigrated in the early 1900's.  Senator Lauzen receive a request from the equivalent of the Chamber of Commerce in Bucharest Romania to give a keynote address at their annual Energy Conference in June 2005.  Senator Lauzen traveled at his own expense with his two oldest sons and met the newly elected President Basescu, various ministers of the national government, then visited local officials in several cities including Sinia, Brasov, Sigishoara, Cluj, and Satu Mare before he finished his tour in his ancestral villages of Istrau and Ville Satu Mare. 

Since that time Senator Lauzen has worked to foster closer foreign relations between Romania and the United States, especially Illinois, by addressing issues of job creation and investments, travel visa waivers, and adoption.  Romania, in Eastern Europe, stands at the crossroads of European, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures.  It has recently joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), anticipates acceptance into the European Union (E.U.) in 2007, and has soldiers serving alongside American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as committed allies in the War on Terrorism. 

"This is an especially difficult time in international political relations, and every country needs as many friends of goodwill as possible," Lauzen said.  "I appreciate the opportunity that the people of my senate district and the people of Romania have afforded me and this generous recognition.  I will continue to do my best to build friendship, peace, and prosperity by working on our mutual interests of economic development, reciprocal investment, and diplomatic understanding."

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