James G. Watt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Watt
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| 43rd United States Secretary of the Interior | |
| In office January 23, 1981 – November 8, 1983 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Cecil Andrus |
| Succeeded by | William Clark |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Gaius Watt
January 31, 1938 Lusk, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | University of Wyoming (BS, JD) |
James Gaius Watt (born January 31, 1938) is a public servant. He was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1981 to 1983. This is a very important job in the U.S. government. It involves managing America's public lands and natural resources.
Watt's time in office was often debated. He was known for supporting the use of natural resources. This included things like logging and mining on federal lands. His ideas helped end a movement called the Sagebrush Rebellion. This movement wanted states to have more control over federal lands.
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Early Life and Career
James Watt was born in Lusk, Wyoming. His parents were Lois Mae and William Gaius Watt. He went to the University of Wyoming. There, he earned a bachelor's degree in 1960. He also got a law degree in 1962.
Watt's first job in politics was helping Senator Milward L. Simpson of Wyoming. He met the Senator through his son, Alan. Watt has always been a member of the Republican Party.
He worked for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This group supports businesses. In 1969, Watt joined the Department of the Interior. He became a deputy assistant secretary. Later, in 1975, he was made vice chairman of the Federal Power Commission.
In 1977, Watt became the first president of the Mountain States Legal Foundation. This group helps people with legal issues. It focuses on individual freedom and property rights. Many lawyers who worked with Watt there later held important government jobs. These included Ann Veneman and Gale Norton.
Secretary of the Interior
In 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected president. He chose James Watt to be his Secretary of the Interior. The United States Senate approved this choice.
Watt's time as Secretary caused a lot of discussion. Many people felt he was not supportive enough of environmental protection. He believed in using federal lands for things like logging and ranching. He also supported other business uses.
Some groups, like the Center for Biological Diversity, noted that Watt listed very few new species for protection. These protections are under the Endangered Species Act. This law helps save animals and plants that are in danger.
Environmental groups said Watt reduced money for environmental programs. They also said he changed how the department worked. They felt this made it harder to protect nature. They worried he wanted to reduce the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This fund helps protect wildlife areas. They also said he made it easier to drill for oil and mine. He even suggested opening up large areas of undeveloped land for drilling and mining.
Watt often said he would "mine more, drill more, cut more timber." He once said he leased "a billion acres" of coastal waters. This meant opening them up for oil and gas exploration.
Beach Boys Concert Controversy
From 1980 to 1982, The Beach Boys played concerts on Independence Day. These concerts were held at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. They attracted many people.
In 1983, Watt announced a change. He said that Las Vegas singer Wayne Newton would perform instead. Newton was a friend of President Reagan. Watt said The Beach Boys attracted "the wrong element." This comment caused a big stir.
Rob Grill, the lead singer of The Grass Roots, said he felt "highly insulted." He called Watt's comments "un-American." The Beach Boys pointed out that even the Soviet Union had invited them to perform. They said the Soviets "obviously... did not feel the group attracted the wrong element."
Vice President George H. W. Bush spoke up for The Beach Boys. He said, "They're my friends, and I like their music." Watt later apologized to the band. He learned that President Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan were fans. Nancy Reagan also apologized for Watt's comments.
Resignation
In September 1983, Watt made a controversial remark during a speech. He was talking about a coal leasing panel in his department. This comment caused a public outcry.
Just three weeks later, on October 9, 1983, James Watt announced he was resigning.
Later Life
After leaving his government job, Watt continued to work in public affairs. He supported policies that he believed in.
In a 2001 interview, Watt praised the energy plans of the Bush administration. He said it was what he had suggested years earlier. "You've got to have more oil, you've got to have more coal, you've got to have more of everything," Watt stated. He believed that solar and wind energy were still too new to power the world.
