William J. Hughes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Ambassador to Panama | |
| In office November 7, 1995 – October 13, 1998 | |
| 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 | |
| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1995 | |
| 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 (BA, LLB) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
William John "Jack" Hughes[1] (October 17, 1932 – October 30, 2019) was an American politician and diplomat who served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1975 to 1995, representing New Jersey's Second Congressional District which includes major portions of the Jersey Shore and Pine Barrens, the cities of Vineland and Atlantic City, and the counties of Salem, Cumberland, Atlantic, Cape May and part of Gloucester. After retiring from Congress in 1995, Hughes was appointed by President Bill Clinton as United States Ambassador to Panama, a post he held until October, 1998 leading up to the historic turnover of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control.[2]
During his tenure in Congress, Hughes was a member of the House Judiciary Committee, where he chaired the Subcommittee on Crime (1981–1990) and the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and Judicial Administration (1991–1994). Hughes also served on the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, which had jurisdiction over numerous issues of importance to his coastal district. Hughes was one of the managers appointed by the House of Representatives in 1986 to conduct impeachment proceedings against District Court Judge Harry E. Claiborne of Nevada. Before being elected to Congress, Hughes served for 10 years as First Assistant Prosecutor in Cape May County from 1960 to 1970. His Congressional Papers are housed at the Rutgers University Libraries Special Collections and University Archives.[3]
- ^ "1950 Penns Grove High School yearbook". Classmates.com. Penns Grove High School. 1950.
- ^ "William Hughes, 20-year New Jersey congressman, dies at 87". Washington Post. October 31, 2019. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ "Congressman William J. Hughes Papers | Rutgers University Libraries".