|
| Affiliation | Republican |
|
| Name | Amo Houghton |
| Address |
Corning, New York , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
August 07, 1926
|
| Died | March 04, 2020
(93 years)
|
| Contributor | None Entered |
| Last Modifed | RBH
Mar 05, 2020 11:07pm |
| Tags |
Caucasian - Married - Episcopalian - Straight -
|
| Info | Amo Houghton served from 1987 to 2005 as a United States Representative from the State of New York, representing the 29th Congressional District which covers parts of eight counties from Cattaraugus County, along the Pennsylvania border to Chemung County and north to southern Monroe County. The district's major population centers include the cities of Olean, Hornell, Corning, Elmira, Canandaigua, and the southern suburbs of the city of Rochester.
Houghton was the fifth-ranking Republican on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, chaired its Oversight Subcommittee, and was a member of the Trade Subcommittee. He was also a member of the International Relations Committee, Vice Chairman of its Subcommittee on Africa, was appointed as Co-Chairman of the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group, and annually chaired the U.S. delegation to the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum.
Houghton's legislative accomplishments include enactment of several laws including the Liberty Zone Act which provided $5 billion in tax breaks and incentives to help New Yorkers in lower Manhattan rebuild in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the Clean Diamond Trade Act which curbs the trade in conflict diamonds from Africa, measures to reform the campaign finance system, and the bill that awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to then South African President Nelson Mandela. In addition, Houghton sponsored several proposals to simplify the tax code.
Politically, Houghton built a reputation as a results-oriented congressman who espouses moderate social programs and conservative fiscal policy. He is the founder of the John Quincy Adams Society, an issues forum which brings together moderate officeholders with top business leaders, and is also a founding member of the Republican Main Street Partnership, which seeks to strengthen the political center. Houghton is also Co-Chairman of the Washington-based Faith and Politics Institute.
The only former CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation to serve in the House, Houghton joined Corning Glass Works (now Corning, Incorporated) in 1951, after graduating from Harvard University and serving as Marine during World War II. He is the recipient of numerous awards and citations including the Electronic Industries Alliance Medal of Honor which cited Houghton as the ?father of fiber optics? for his support of research at Corning which resulted in the revolutionary communications material. Corning, Inc., founded by the Houghton family in 1851, is a world leader in glass and ceramics technology including fiber optics and photonics. The firm supplied Thomas Edison with the housing for his first light bulb and provided windshields for NASA's space shuttle fleet.
The Almanac of American Politics said of Houghton: " ... he may well be more what the Founding Fathers had in mind ... " as the ideal congressman. In 2002, Houghton was inducted into the Academy of Arts and Sciences, the group founded by John Adams and John Hancock in 1780, dedicated to advancing intellectual thought and constructive action in American society.
Before entering Congress, Houghton served on the boards of several major corporations including Procter & Gamble, IBM, Citicorp, N.Y. Telephone, B.F. Goodrich, and Genentech. Appointed by President Reagan to the Grace Commission in 1982, he served as the panel's vice-chairman. He is a former trustee of St. Paul's School, the Brookings Institution, a former member of the Harvard Board of Overseers, a past director of the Episcopal Theological Seminary, and holds 14 honorary degrees.
Houghton's father Amory served as Ambassador to France from 1957 to 1961 following his career at the Corning Glass Works. His grandfather, Alanson B. Houghton, was Ambassador to Germany and Ambassador to the Court of St. James (Great Britain) after serving two terms in the House of Representatives from 1918 to 1922.
Houghton was not a candidate for re-election to the 109th United States Congress in 2004. He retired in 2005.
Houghton is married to the former Priscilla B. Dewey.
|
 | BOOKS |
 |
|
| Title |
Purchase |
Contributor |
|
| Start Date |
End Date |
Type |
Title |
Contributor |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
| INFORMATION LINKS |
|
|
|
