George Mitchell served as the United States Special Envoy for the Middle East from January 2009 to May 2011 and is a senior diplomat. He served as the majority leader of the United States Senate from 1989 to 1995. From 2004 to 2007, George served as the Chairman of Walt Disney Company and was also the Chairman of DLA Piper, an international law firm. George entered the United States Senate in 1980, marking the beginning of his glorious 14 year career in the Senate. In 1989, he became the majority leader of the Senate until leaving in 1995. During his tenure, George gained support from both parties, and it was often said that there was no man, woman, or child in the Capitol who did not trust George Mitchell. He has been named the most respected member of the Senate by senior congressional aides from both parties for six consecutive years. In 1996, at the request of the British and Irish governments, George presided over the Northern Ireland peace negotiations. He led the negotiations for two years and ultimately reached a historic agreement, ending decades of conflict. In addition to serving as the chairman of Walt Disney, George is also a director of several other major companies. From 2006 to 2007, he led an independent investigation into the illegal use of high-performance substances in Major League Baseball. George also served as the chairman of the International Crisis Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing international crises, the chairman of a special committee investigating misconduct in Olympic bidding, and the chairman of the National Health Commission. In addition, George is also obligated to serve as an independent supervisor of the American Red Cross Free Relief Fund, providing assistance to victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At the request of President Clinton and the leaders of Israel and Palestine, George served as the Chairman of the International Commission of Inquiry on Violence in the Middle East. The Mitchell report, named after him, received support from the Bush administration, the European Union, and many other governments. On January 22, 2009, US President Obama appointed him as his Special Envoy for the Middle East. George delivered a speech after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Obama's appointment, emphasizing the importance that the Obama administration attaches to achieving peace between Palestine and Israel, and calling on people to make the greatest effort to achieve peace between Palestine and Israel.