William J. Hughes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William J. Hughes
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| United States Ambassador to Panama | |
| In office November 7, 1995 – October 13, 1998 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Oliver P. Garza |
| Succeeded by | Simon Ferro |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Charles W. Sandman Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Frank LoBiondo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William John Hughes
October 17, 1932 Salem, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | October 30, 2019 (aged 87) Ocean City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Nancy Gibson
(m. 1956; died 2018) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Rutgers University |
| Occupation | Attorney |
William John Hughes (October 17, 1932 – October 30, 2019) was an American politician and diplomat. He was a member of the Democratic Party. From 1975 to 1995, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented New Jersey's Second Congressional District. This area includes parts of the Jersey Shore and Pine Barrens. It also covers cities like Vineland and Atlantic City.
After leaving Congress in 1995, President Bill Clinton chose Hughes to be the United States Ambassador to Panama. He held this important job until October 1998. His time as Ambassador was just before the Panama Canal was officially given to Panamanian control.
While in Congress, Hughes was part of the House Judiciary Committee. He led subcommittees focused on crime and intellectual property. He also served on the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. This committee dealt with issues important to his home district, especially those related to the ocean. Before becoming a Congressman, he worked as a prosecutor in Cape May County for 10 years.
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Early Life and Career
William John Hughes was born in Salem, New Jersey, on October 17, 1932. His parents were Pauline Mehaffey and William W. Hughes. He went to Penns Grove High School and graduated in 1950.
He then attended Rutgers University, finishing in 1955. He earned his law degree from Rutgers Law School in 1958. After becoming a lawyer in 1959, he started his practice in Ocean City. He also worked as a prosecutor for Cape May County.
Hughes married Nancy L. Gibson in 1956. They had four children together. Nancy passed away in 2018. Hughes lived in Ocean City for a long time and died there on October 30, 2019, at age 87.
Public Service and Education
After his time as Ambassador to Panama, Hughes taught at Stockton State College in Pomona, New Jersey. His work there led to the creation of a Public Policy Center. In 2008, this center was named the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy in his honor.
Hughes also received special honorary degrees from several universities. In 1997, he was recognized by Rutgers University and inducted into their Hall of Distinguished Alumni.
Work in the U.S. House of Representatives
Hughes served in the United States House of Representatives for 20 years, from 1975 to 1995.
Protecting the Environment
Hughes' district in South Jersey has a long coastline and important natural areas like the New Jersey Pinelands. Because of this, he cared deeply about protecting the ocean and environment.
Stopping Ocean Pollution
In the 1970s, reports showed that dumping waste in the ocean was causing serious harm. Areas off the coast of New Jersey were being used to dump sewage and chemicals. This pollution closed beaches and hurt marine life.
In 1975, Hughes worked to pass a law that would stop harmful sewage and chemical dumping in the ocean after December 31, 1981. President Carter signed this bill into law in 1977. This law made many cities and industries find other ways to get rid of their waste.
Even though there were challenges and delays, Hughes kept fighting. He wrote new laws that finally banned ocean dumping after December 31, 1991. New York City was the last to stop, doing so in June 1992. It took 17 years, but Hughes succeeded in stopping this harmful practice.
Besides sewage, Hughes also worked to stop other types of ocean pollution. He helped pass laws to prevent plastic and medical waste from being dumped at sea. He also worked to get funding to protect and rebuild New Jersey's beaches and waterways.
Saving the New Jersey Pinelands
The Pinelands in New Jersey is a huge natural area with very clean water. To protect it from too much building, Hughes introduced a bill in 1977.
He worked with other lawmakers to create a historic law in 1978. This law established the Pinelands National Reserve. This federal law led to the creation of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission. This commission now manages and protects nearly a million acres of the Pinelands.
Other Congressional Activities
Hughes also served on the House Select Committee on Aging, which he led in 1993. This committee focused on issues affecting older people.
U.S. Ambassador to Panama
In 1995, President Bill Clinton chose Bill Hughes to be the U.S. Ambassador to Panama. He started this role in November 1995.
As Ambassador, Hughes was in charge of the U.S. Embassy in Panama. He worked with about 425 employees and 21 different U.S. agencies. A big part of his job was to coordinate with the United States Southern Command, which was based in Panama at the time.
A main goal during his time was to help with the smooth transfer of the Panama Canal to Panama in December 1999. He was also responsible for handing over several U.S. military bases to Panama. He worked closely with the Panamanian government on these important transfers.
Hughes also led efforts to:
- Set up the first Financial Analysis Unit in the Southern Hemisphere to fight illegal money activities.
- Create new ways to stop human smuggling.
- Help Panama create new laws to protect intellectual property, like copyrights and trademarks.
- Increase the size of Panama's Coast Guard and provide them with equipment.
- Develop a plan to fight smuggling at the border with Costa Rica.
Honors and Recognition
Many places and organizations have honored William J. Hughes for his service. The FAA Technical Center in southern New Jersey was renamed the William J. Hughes Technical Center in his honor.
The Bill & Nancy Hughes Performing Arts Center at Ocean City High School is named after him and his wife. In Cape May, a beach was renamed The Congressman William J. Hughes Beach. His childhood street in Penns Grove was also renamed in his honor.
He received awards like the Congressman of the Year from the National Association of Police Organizations in 1986. He also received awards from the Exchange Club of Ocean City and Rutgers University.
Election History
William Hughes served 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represented New Jersey's Second Congressional District longer than anyone else in history.
He first ran for Congress in 1970 but lost. In 1974, he ran again and won with 57% of the vote. He was part of a group of new members elected after the Watergate Scandal. In later elections, he consistently won with about 60% of the vote. He even received more votes than Presidents Reagan, Bush, and Clinton in his district during their election years.
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