OCEAN CITY – The Honorable William J. “Bill” Hughes, who represented New Jersey’s Second Congressional District for 20 years and later became U.S. Ambassador to Panama, died Oct. 30 at his home in Ocean City. He was 87.
The announcement was made by his family. Additional details were not immediately available.
Hughes was first elected to Congress in 1974 as one of 48 new Democrats who were swept into the House of Representatives in the wake of the Watergate scandal.
Hughes was subsequently reelected to his seat, often by large margins, and served in that position longer than any other previous incumbent. 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.
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. He also served as Chairman of the House Select Committee on Aging.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Hughes successfully pushed for the enactment of numerous anti-crime bills, including the Hughes amendment to ban fully automatic firearms, and additional measures that became the government’s principal means to combat drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism, child pornography and computer fraud.
Other major legislative achievements included his successful 1975 amendment to an ocean dumping of sewage sludge, and enactment of legislation to preserve the New Jersey Pinelands.
The William J. Hughes Technical Center in Pomona was named in honor of the late Congressman in recognition of his efforts to keep the facility in Southern New Jersey and build it into the nation’s premier air transportation system laboratory. The William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University is also named in honor of the Ambassador in recognition of his distinguished career of public service.
Hughes’ wife of 61 years, Nancy Hughes, predeceased him in January 2018. The couple had made their home in Ocean City for almost their entire adult lives.
They are survived by their four children: Lynne Hughes, Barbara Hughes Sullivan, Tama Hughes and William Hughes, Jr., 10 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Hughes’ passing will leave a huge void in the lives of all those he touched during his long and honorable career.
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Board of Chosen Freeholders:
It is with great sadness that the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders honor the life of former U.S. Representative and Ambassador William J. Hughes on his passing Oct. 30, 2019.
According to a county release, Hughes served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1975 to 1995, representing New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District which includes Cape May, Cumberland, Salem and parts of Atlantic and Gloucester counties.
“Congressman Hughes was a great friend of Cape May County and a personal friend of mine. I had the pleasure of working with Bill during his 20 years in Congress and he always listened to our concerns and understood our needs. He was a true statesman that worked hard for his constituents and improved the quality of life in many ways for this legislative district,” stated Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton.
Hughes was a member of the House Judiciary Committee, where he chaired the and the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and Judicial Administration. (1991–1994). Hughes also served on the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
“We will all miss Bill Hughes, he was a great congressman that served Cape May County and the district well. The work he did during his 20-year tenure in the House of Representatives was the foundation of the growth of our Tourism industry today.
“He was an early proponent in protecting our environment and worked tirelessly to end ocean dumping,” stated Freeholder Vice-Director Lenard Desiderio.
Hughes served for 10 years as First Assistant Prosecutor in Cape May County from 1960 to 1970. After serving in Congress Hughes was appointed Ambassador of Panama by President Bill Clinton.
“It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing and remember this great man for his service to his country and Cape May County. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time,” added Thornton.
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U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-2nd):
“I am saddened to hear of the passing of William “Bill” J. Hughes, former U.S. Representative and Ambassador. Mr. Hughes has fought for South Jersey for decades and it is an honor to have known him and followed in his footsteps. South Jersey and the world are better for having had him.”
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Carole McGeehan Johnson, NJ Commissioner of Human Services:
“Bill Hughes was a gift to South Jersey and the country.
“Our oceans are cleaner, our communities are safer, and our economy is stronger because of his work.
“He was my first boss in politics, and I count myself so fortunate to have seen firsthand and learned from the dignity and commitment he brought to his work in the halls of Congress. He was legendary in his dedication to constituents – he responded to every letter, every phone call, every request with the same sense of urgency because he knew how much it mattered to the family in need, the veteran, the business owner.
“He knew how to fight like hell to get things done in Congress and still be friends with those on the other side because there was always a new issue to work on together tomorrow.
“Our country is so much better for his service and a host of former staffers like me will do our best to try to live up to his legacy. My condolences to the Hughes family.”
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Sen. Robert “Bob” Andrzejczak (D-1st):
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Ambassador Bill Hughes. After I became senator, Ambassador Hughes became a mentor to me. I will forever cherish the discussions we had on public service, government, politics and his beloved Ocean City. He was a man of deep integrity and grace and I hope to live up to his standards as a public servant. My condolences, and the condolences of my Assembly colleagues Bruce Land and Matt Milam go out to the Ambassador’s family.”
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U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ):
“I am deeply saddened to learn of Representative Bill Hughes’ passing. He was a beloved public servant who, through his work in Congress and as an Ambassador, demonstrated pragmatism, civility, and above all else, love of country. The Jersey Shore is cleaner and our communities are safer because of Bill’s accomplishments during his two decades in Congress. His legacy not only lives on in Stockton University’s William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy and the Federal Aviation Administration’s William J. Hughes Technical Center, but also in his children, friends, and all who were privileged to know him. Bill was an extraordinary New Jerseyan, and he will be greatly missed.”
