Margaret Heckler
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 10th district
In office 1967 - 1983
Preceded by	Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
Succeeded by	Gerry E. Studds
Born	June 21, 1931 Flushing, New York
Political party	Republican
Religion	Roman Catholic

Margaret Mary Heckler (born June 21, 1931) is a Republican politician from Massachusetts who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1967 until 1983 and was later the Secretary of Health and Human Services and Ambassador to Ireland under President Ronald Reagan. Since her defeat in 1982 no women has been elected to congress from Massachusetts. Image File history File links Mmheckler. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is the lower of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... The 10th District includes the South Shore of Massachusetts, running from Quincy to Weymouth and Abington and includes all of Cape Cod, Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: People stubs | 1884 births | 1968 deaths | Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives ... Gerry Studds is a retired American politician. ... June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... A few landmarks from two New York Worlds Fairs still stand in Flushing Meadows, including the US Steel Unisphere Flushing is a neighborhood within the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      For other uses, see Republican Party (disambiguation) or GOP (disambiguation). ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party [1]), is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is the lower of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ...

Early life

She was born Margaret Mary O'Shaughnessy in Flushing, New York. Her undergraduate studies began at the University of Leiden in Holland in 1952. After graduating from Albertus Magnus College (B.A.1953) and from Boston College Law School (LL.B. 1956), she was admitted to the bar in Massachusetts. She had also been editor of the Annual Survey of Massachusetts Law. A few landmarks from two New York Worlds Fairs still stand in Flushing Meadows, including the US Steel Unisphere Flushing is a neighborhood within the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. ... Leiden University in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. ... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I shall stand fast[1] Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe National animal: Lion Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official languages Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... ALBERTUS MAGNUS COLLEGE In 1924, the Dominican Congregation of Saint Mary of the Springs purchased an estate in New Haven, Connecticut, in an effort to found a womens college. ... Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... For similarly-named academic institutions, see Boston (disambiguation). ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Editing is the process of preparing language, images, or sound for presentation through correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications. ...

From 1962 to 1966, Heckler served as an elected Governor’s councilor for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1964 and 1968 and elected as a Republican to the Ninetieth through the Ninety-Seventh Congresses (January 3, 1967 - January 3, 1983). 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... A governor or governour (archaic) is a governing official, usually the executive (at least nominally, to different degrees also politically and administratively) of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the Head of state; furthermore the title applies to officials with a similar mandate as representatives of a chartered... The Republican National Convention, the presidential nominating convention of the United States Republican Party, is held every four years to determine the partys candidate for the coming Presidential election and the partys platform. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      For other uses, see Republican Party (disambiguation) or GOP (disambiguation). ... The Ninetieth United States Congress was in session from 1967 to 1969. ... Ninety-seventh United States Congress Members of the 97th United States Congress: States Alabama Senators Howell T. Heflin (D) Jeremiah Denton (R) Representatives 1. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Congressional career

In Congress, Heckler was generally regarded as a “Rockefeller Republican” who supported moderate to liberal policies favored by voters in her state. In 1978, she launched and became co-chair of the Congresswoman’s Caucus, a bipartisan group of 14 members focused on equality for women in Social Security, tax laws, and related areas. Heckler was also an outspoken advocate for and co-sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment. She opposed abortion, but did not favor a constitutional amendment to ban it at that time. Later in life, Heckler has become a speaker and activist for pro-life causes. In the United States, the term Rockefeller Republican refers to those members of the Republican party who hold moderate views similar to those of the late Nelson Rockefeller, governor of New York from 1959 to 1973 and vice president of the United States under President Gerald Ford in the mid... In a two-party system (such as in the United States), bipartisan refers to any bill, act, resolution, or any other action of a political body in which both of the major political parties are in agreement. ... Social Security, in the United States, refers to the Federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program. ... The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that was intended to guarantee equal rights under the law for Americans regardless of sex. ... Pro-life advocates make a silent complaint in front of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Pro-life is a term representing a variety of perspectives and activist movements in bioethics. ...

In Massachusetts, she was noted for building an especially effective network of constituent services that allowed her to breeze through several re-election bids in an overwhelmingly Democratic state. In the capital, Heckler was noted as a socialite with a penchant for high fashion; columnist Jack Anderson called her Margaret “I’d-walk-a-mile-for-a-camera” Heckler. Jackson Northman Anderson (October 19, 1922 – December 17, 2005) was an American newspaper columnist and is considered one of the fathers of modern investigative journalism. ...

Electoral history

Heckler’s entrance to and exit from Congress are noteworthy pieces of political history. She won her first term in 1966 by defeating incumbent Republican Joseph W. Martin, Jr., in the primary. Martin, then 82, had previously served as Speaker of the House. Heckler won the subsequent general election with just 51 percent, but was easily reelected thereafter. Categories: People stubs | 1884 births | 1968 deaths | Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives ... The term Speaker is usually the title given to the presiding officer of a countrys lower house of parliament or congress (ie: the House of Commons or House of Representatives). ...

Following the 1980 census, Massachusetts lost one of its congressional seats due to a slow-growing population. Heckler’s district, at the time the only one in Massachusetts large enough to not need redistricting, was combined with that of freshman Democratic Rep. Barney Frank. When the two ran against each other in 1982, Heckler began the race as a front-runner. Although she opposed Reagan on 43 percent of House votes, Frank successfully portrayed Heckler as an ally of the president by pointing to her early support for his tax cuts (which she later retracted). Heckler also lost the support of the National Organization for Women because she opposed federal funding for abortion. She went on to lose the race by a larger-than-expected 20 percent margin. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... Barney Frank (born March 31, 1940) is an American politician, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. ... The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist group, founded in 1966, with 500,000 contributing members and 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. ...

Health and Human Services Secretary

Following her defeat, Heckler turned down several government jobs — including as an assistant NASA administrator — before Reagan nominated her to replace retiring Health and Human Services Secretary Richard Schweiker in January 1983. She was confirmed on March 3, 1983 by an 82 to 3 vote in the Senate. The three dissenters were conservative Republicans, including Sen. Jesse Helms of North Carolina. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States Government, responsible for that nations public space program. ... Richard S. Schweiker Richard Schultz Schweiker (born June 1, 1926) is a former U.S. Congressman and Senator representing the state of Pennsylvania. ... Jesse Helms Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ...

As secretary, Heckler presided over staffing cuts in the department as part of the administration’s spending reductions and was dispatched as a frequent spokesperson on a wide array of public health issues, including the then-emerging AIDS crisis. She also encouraged Reagan to support an AIDS awareness initiative, new child support standards, and softer standards for Social Security disability requirements. Her husband even maintained that she was the first to suggest that Reagan appoint a woman to the U.S. Supreme Court. For information on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome , see AIDS For the cues given by riders to their horse, see riding aids. ... In many countries, child support or child maintenance is the ongoing obligation for a periodic payment made by a non-custodial parent to a custodial parent, caregiver or guardian, for the care and support of children of a relationship or marriage that has been terminated. ... The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States...

Public divorce saga

Heckler’s tenure as secretary was also marked by a public soap opera that played out in the Washington press when her husband, John, filed for divorce, in 1984. The episode was tinged by election-year concerns over the impact of the divorce on conservative voters and dragged on for months as the couple argued whether Massachusetts or Virginia, where Margaret Heckler had moved, had jurisdiction in the case. John Heckler publicly criticized his wife for becoming a changed person after she entered politics, and cited “fear of life and limb and mental welfare” in his filing. Margaret Heckler disputed the claims, but declined to comment publicly. Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ...

Departure from Cabinet

Heckler was one of the cabinet secretaries to stay on after Reagan’s re-election. Although she was widely regarded as an effective spokesperson, press accounts in late 1985 revealed that some White House and agency insiders regarded her as an ineffective manager. White House Chief of Staff Donald Regan reportedly pushed for Heckler’s dismissal, but President Reagan told reporters “there has never been any thought in my mind to fire” her. Instead, she was appointed as ambassador to Ireland—with a $16,000 pay cut that prompted the press to ridicule Reagan’s characterization of the situation as a “promotion.” She was confirmed as ambassador in December 1985. Joshua B. Bolten, the current White House Chief of Staff. ... Donald Thomas Regan (December 21, 1918 – June 10, 2003) was the 66th United States Secretary of the Treasury, from 1981 to 1985, and Chief of Staff from 1985 to 1987 in the Reagan administration, where he advocated supply-side economics and tax cuts to create jobs and stimulate production. ...

Ambassador to Ireland

In her new position, Heckler was credited as the driving force behind a $120 million U.S. grant to the International Fund for Ireland, an economic development organization. She was a frequent guest on Irish television programs and was “by all accounts an effective spokesperson for her government’s policies on everything from Central America to international trade,” according to the Washington Post. Her term expired in January 1989.

Current

Margaret Heckler is a resident of Arlington, VA. Her papers are housed in the Burns Library at Boston College. Arlington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia (which calls itself a commonwealth), directly across the Potomac River from Washington, DC. By an act of Congress July 9, 1846, the area south of the Potomac was returned to Virginia effective in 1847 As of 2000... For similarly-named academic institutions, see Boston (disambiguation). ...

United States Secretaries of Health and Human Services
Harris • Schweiker • Heckler • Bowen • Sullivan • Shalala • Thompson • Leavitt

Categories: People stubs | 1884 births | 1968 deaths | Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives ... These are tables of congressional delegations from Massachusetts to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... Gerry Studds is a retired American politician. ... Richard S. Schweiker Richard Schultz Schweiker (born June 1, 1926) is a former U.S. Congressman and Senator representing the state of Pennsylvania. ... The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Otis Ray Bowen (born 26 February 1918) is a retired U.S. politician and physician. ... There have been a total of 27 American ambassadors to Ireland, the outgoing ambassador as of 2006 is James C. Kenny who left office in October 2006. ... The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Seal of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. ... Categories: 1924 births | 1985 deaths | U.S. Secretaries of Health and Human Services | U.S. Secretaries of Health, Education, and Welfare | People stubs ... Richard S. Schweiker Richard Schultz Schweiker (born June 1, 1926) is a former U.S. Congressman and Senator representing the state of Pennsylvania. ... Otis Ray Bowen (born 26 February 1918) is a retired U.S. politician and physician. ... Louis Wade Sullivan (born November 3, 1933) is an American physician. ... Donna Esther Shalala (surname pronounced ; born February 14, 1941) is the current president of the University of Miami, a private university in Coral Gables, Florida. ... Tommy George Thompson (born November 19, 1941), a United States politician, was the 7th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin. ... Michael Okerlund Leavitt (born February 11, 1951 in Cedar City, Utah) is an American politician, and is currently the Secretary of Health and Human Services. ...

References

• Doug Allan. “Speaker of the House: Joe Martin of N. Attleboro.” Providence Journal. 07/26/1999.
• Jane Anderson. “Two Massachusetts Incumbents Fight for Single Seat in Congress.” Miami Herald. 10/17/1982. p. 5D.
• Karen DeYoung. “Margaret Heckler, All Emerald Smiles.” Washington Post. 03/18/1987. p. D1.
• David Hoffman. “Heckler Offered Irish Ambassadorship.” Washington Post. 10/01/1985. pA1.
• Stephanie Mansfield. “The Heckler Breakup.” Washington Post. 10/16/1984. p. B1.
• Donnie Radcliffe. “The Women’s Caucus.” Washington Post. 04/27/1978. p. B12.
• Spencer Rich. “Heckler’s Administrative Skills Called Inadequate for Agency.” Washington Post. 10/01/1985. A1.
• Eric Scheidler. “Father and Son Rally the Troops on Maryland Truth Tour.” Pro-Life Action News. Fall 2003.
• Myron Stuck and Sarah Fitzgerald. “Senate Confirms Heckler.” Washington Post. 03/04/1983. p. A13.
• U.S. House of Representatives. Office of the Clerk. Election Information