James J. Howard
Encyclopedia
James John Howard was an American
educator and Democratic Party
politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives
from 1965–1988.
. Howard graduated from St. Rose School
, Belmar
, in 1941, Asbury Park High School
in 1947, St. Bonaventure University
, in 1952; and earned a Master of Education degree from Rutgers University
, New Brunswick, N.J.
, in 1958.
Prior to being elected to the House, Howard served in the United States Navy in the South Pacific from December 30, 1944, to July 19, 1946; teacher and acting principal in Wall Township
school system from 1952 to 1964.
Elected as a Democrat
to the Eighty-ninth and to the eleven succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1965, until his death in Washington, D.C.
, on March 25, 1988.
On May 23, 1967, Howard created a public controversy over the M16, the basic combat rifle in Vietnam, beginning after he read a letter to the House of Representatives in which a Marine in Vietnam claims that almost all Americans killed in the Battle of Hill 881
died as a result of their new M16 rifles jamming. By the end of 1967, the problem had been resolved.
In 1974, he introduced the idea of a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit. And Congress soon imposed a nationwide 55 MPH (90 km/h) speed limit by threatening to withhold highway funds from states that did not adopt this limit. It was estimated a speed of 55 mi/h used 17% less fuel per mile than a speed of 75 MPH (120 km/h). It was also believed, based on a noticeable drop the first year the limit was imposed, that it cut down on highway deaths, but later studies were more mixed on this point. In addition, Howard authored an innovative coordinated surface transportation policy and program. Howard’s other notable, enduring contributions to the fight for enhanced highway safety include sponsorship of a myriad of bills such as: the Howard-Barnes anti-drunk driving legislation (1982); the Child Restraint Law (1984), which increased funding for state child passenger safety programs; legislation establishing a uniform minimum drinking age of 21 (1984); the National Driver’s Register (1982); the National Infrastructure Act (1983); and the Motor Carrier Act (1980), which was the first regulatory reform of the trucking industry in half a century that, among other things, increased federal aid for truck safety programs.
Howard served as chairman of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation (Ninety-seventh through One Hundredth Congresses
).
At the time of his death, Howard was fighting an effort by transportation-related businesses move to persuade Congress to "complete" truck deregulation, a move they said would save billions in distribution costs. Upon his death the committee chairmanship was succeeded by Rep. Glenn M. Anderson
(D-CA).
Frank Pallone
filled the seat vacated by Howard's death in 1988.
Howard was a resident of Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey
, and was interred in St. Catharine’s Cemetery in Sea Girt, New Jersey
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator and Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1965–1988.
Biography
He was born on July 24, 1927 in Irvington, New JerseyIrvington, New Jersey
Irvington is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 53,926, a decline of 11.2% from the 60,695 residents enumerated in the 2000 Census.-Geography:...
. Howard graduated from St. Rose School
St. Rose High School
St. Rose High School is a co-educational four-year Catholic high school in Belmar, New Jersey, United States. The school operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. The school was founded in 1923 by the Parish of St...
, Belmar
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,794. The Borough of Belmar is governed under the Faulkner Act system of municipal government....
, in 1941, Asbury Park High School
Asbury Park High School
Asbury Park High School is a comprehensive, four-year community public high school headquartered in a landmark building in Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, constructed during the New Deal as a model high school campus...
in 1947, St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
, in 1952; and earned a Master of Education degree from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, New Brunswick, N.J.
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, in 1958.
Prior to being elected to the House, Howard served in the United States Navy in the South Pacific from December 30, 1944, to July 19, 1946; teacher and acting principal in Wall Township
Wall Township, New Jersey
Wall Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 26,164.Wall Township was formally incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 7, 1851...
school system from 1952 to 1964.
Elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Eighty-ninth and to the eleven succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1965, until his death in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on March 25, 1988.
On May 23, 1967, Howard created a public controversy over the M16, the basic combat rifle in Vietnam, beginning after he read a letter to the House of Representatives in which a Marine in Vietnam claims that almost all Americans killed in the Battle of Hill 881
Battle of Hill 881
The Battle of Hill 881 was a battle during the Vietnam War between the People's Army of Vietnam and United States Marines...
died as a result of their new M16 rifles jamming. By the end of 1967, the problem had been resolved.
In 1974, he introduced the idea of a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit. And Congress soon imposed a nationwide 55 MPH (90 km/h) speed limit by threatening to withhold highway funds from states that did not adopt this limit. It was estimated a speed of 55 mi/h used 17% less fuel per mile than a speed of 75 MPH (120 km/h). It was also believed, based on a noticeable drop the first year the limit was imposed, that it cut down on highway deaths, but later studies were more mixed on this point. In addition, Howard authored an innovative coordinated surface transportation policy and program. Howard’s other notable, enduring contributions to the fight for enhanced highway safety include sponsorship of a myriad of bills such as: the Howard-Barnes anti-drunk driving legislation (1982); the Child Restraint Law (1984), which increased funding for state child passenger safety programs; legislation establishing a uniform minimum drinking age of 21 (1984); the National Driver’s Register (1982); the National Infrastructure Act (1983); and the Motor Carrier Act (1980), which was the first regulatory reform of the trucking industry in half a century that, among other things, increased federal aid for truck safety programs.
Howard served as chairman of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation (Ninety-seventh through One Hundredth Congresses
100th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President: George H.W. Bush * President pro tempore: John Stennis - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader, Democratic Conference Chairman, and Democratic Policy Committee Chairman: Robert Byrd...
).
At the time of his death, Howard was fighting an effort by transportation-related businesses move to persuade Congress to "complete" truck deregulation, a move they said would save billions in distribution costs. Upon his death the committee chairmanship was succeeded by Rep. Glenn M. Anderson
Glenn M. Anderson
Glenn Malcolm Anderson was an American politician. He was the 37th Lieutenant Governor of California and later as congressman. He was a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-CA).
Frank Pallone
Frank Pallone
Frank Pallone, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously represented the 3rd district from 1988 to 1993.-Early life, education, and early political career:...
filled the seat vacated by Howard's death in 1988.
Howard was a resident of Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey
Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey
Spring Lake Heights is a borough located in the southern coastal portion of Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,713....
, and was interred in St. Catharine’s Cemetery in Sea Girt, New Jersey
Sea Girt, New Jersey
Sea Girt is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,828.Sea Girt was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 29, 1917, from portions of Wall Township, based on the results of a referendum...
.
Honors
- On September 21, 1985, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center was destroyed by a fire. On October 11, 1989, a groundbreakingGroundbreakingGroundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
ceremony was held at Sandy Hook, New Jersey for the construction of a 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) marine research laboratory to be occupied by scientists from the Department of CommerceUnited States Department of CommerceThe United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...
National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
's National Marine Fisheries ServiceNational Marine Fisheries ServiceThe National Marine Fisheries Service is a United States federal agency. A division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the...
(NMFS), as well as from state agencies through the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium (NJMSC), and academic institutions in New Jersey. The new laboratory, was completed in about three years and named the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory to honor the late U.S. Representative who strongly supported marine research'. The primary mission of the Howard Laboratory is to conduct research in ecologyEcologyEcology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, leading to a better understanding of both coastal and estuarine organisms and the effects of human activities on nearshore marine populations.
- The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)Governors highway safety associationGHSA, the Governors Highway Safety Association is a non-profit organization located in Washington, DC. Its members are the state highway safety offices of the 50 states, U.S. territories, and the Indian Nations. These offices administer federal funding for behavioral highway safety programs...
named their highest honor the James J. Howard Highway Safety Trailblazer Award. The award honors an individual for sustained outstanding leadership in endeavors that significantly improve highway safety. The recipient of this award must have undertaken a concerted, long-term effort to make our nation’s highways safer and has made a significant contribution to the field of highway safety. The recipient must have established and implemented programs or have been responsible for notable advancements in technology or research throughout the years that have yielded a demonstrated safety impact.
- The Asbury ParkAsbury Park, New JerseyAsbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
main train station and bus terminal was torn down and rebuilt as the James J. Howard Transportation Center.
- On April 6, 1988 President Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
signs H.R. 4263 naming Interstate 195Interstate 195 (New Jersey)Interstate 195 is an auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its western end is at I-295 and Route 29 just south of Trenton, New Jersey in Hamilton Township, Mercer County while its eastern end is at the Garden State Parkway, Route 34 and Route...
(I-195) in New Jersey the James J. Howard Interstate Highway. Interstate 195 is an east-west freeway linking Trenton and Princeton to Lakewood and the Jersey Shore.
- Department of Veterans AffairsUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
's Veterans Health AdministrationVeterans Health AdministrationThe Veterans Health Administration is the component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs led by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health that implements the medical assistance program of the VA through the administration and operation of numerous VA outpatient clinics,...
established the James J. Howard Veterans Outpatient Clinic in Brick Township, New JerseyBrick Township, New Jersey-Transportation:The major county routes that pass through are CR 528, and CR 549 . Two state routes pass through: Route 70 and Route 88...
, to provides primary care and specialty services to local veterans.
- Fort MonmouthFort MonmouthFort Monmouth was an installation of the Department of the Army in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The post is surrounded by the communities of Eatontown, Tinton Falls and Oceanport, New Jersey, and is located about 5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The post covers nearly of land, from the Shrewsbury...
's Eatontown Gardens, 600 family housing units in fifty two buildings, constructed 1953-1954, was renamed for Congressman James J. Howard in recognition of his long-time support for Fort Monmouth and his contributions in Congress to the welfare of soldiers and the Army.
External links
- James John Howard at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...
- Governors Highway Safety Association
- James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory