Brock Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brock Adams
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| United States Senator from Washington |
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| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Slade Gorton |
| Succeeded by | Patty Murray |
| 5th United States Secretary of Transportation | |
| In office January 23, 1977 – July 20, 1979 |
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| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | William Thaddeus Coleman Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Neil Goldschmidt |
| Chair of the House Budget Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | Al Ullman |
| Succeeded by | Robert Giaimo |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 7th district |
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| In office January 3, 1965 – January 22, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | K. William Stinson |
| Succeeded by | Jack Cunningham |
| United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington | |
| In office 1961–1964 |
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| President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson |
| Preceded by | Charles Moriarty |
| Succeeded by | William Goodwin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Brockman Adams
January 13, 1927 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | September 10, 2004 (aged 77) Stevensville, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mary Adams |
| Education | University of Washington, Seattle (BA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1944–1946 |
Brockman Adams (January 13, 1927 – September 10, 2004) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Adams represented the state of Washington in the U.S. government. He served as a U.S. Representative, a U.S. Senator, and the United States Secretary of Transportation.
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Early Life and Education
Brock Adams was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up and went to public schools in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington. In 1944, he graduated from Broadway High School in Seattle.
Adams then attended the University of Washington in Seattle. In 1948, he was chosen to be the president of the student government. This group is called the ASUW. He was also the first student to be both president and receive the President's Medal of Excellence. This award recognized him as the university's top scholar.
In 1949, a student named Mary Maxwell was Adams's secretary in the ASUW. Later that year, Adams introduced Mary Maxwell to his friend, William Henry Gates II. Mary Maxwell and William Henry Gates II later got married. They are the parents of Bill Gates, who co-founded Microsoft.
Adams finished his studies at the University of Washington in 1949. He then went to Harvard Law School, a famous law school. In 1952, he earned his law degree there. Adams was also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, an honor society for smart students.
Adams served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946. After his military service, he became a lawyer. In 1952, he was allowed to practice law in Washington state. He opened his own law office in Seattle. He was also a member of the American Bar Association, a group for lawyers.
From 1954 to 1960, Adams taught law at the American Institute of Banking. Later, from 1961 to 1964, he worked for the government. He was the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington. This job meant he represented the U.S. government in legal cases in that area.
Political Career
Brock Adams had a long career in politics, serving in different important roles.
U.S. House of Representatives
In 1965, Adams was elected to the United States House of Representatives. This is one part of the U.S. Congress, where laws are made. He served six terms, which means he was a Representative for 12 years.
During his time in the House, he became the chairman of the new Budget Committee. This committee helps decide how the government spends money. He was also considered a strong candidate to become the Speaker of the House. The Speaker is the leader of the House of Representatives.
Secretary of Transportation
On January 22, 1977, Adams left his job in the House of Representatives. He was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to be the fifth United States Secretary of Transportation. The Senate approved his appointment.
As Secretary of Transportation, Adams was in charge of things like roads, railways, and air travel in the U.S. He worked on many important transportation issues. He left this job on July 20, 1979. After that, he worked as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C.. A lobbyist tries to influence government decisions for a company or group. He worked for railroad companies like CSX Corporation.
U.S. Senator
On November 4, 1986, Brock Adams was elected to the United States Senate. This is the other part of the U.S. Congress. He won against the person who was already in the job, Slade Gorton. Adams served one term as a Senator. During this time, he supported the ideas of his political party.
Death
After retiring from politics, Brock Adams lived in Stevensville, Maryland. He passed away on September 10, 2004. He died from problems related to Parkinson's disease.
See also
- Lobbying in the United States
