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As Secretary of Transportation, Brock Adams supported increasing automobile fuel efficiency and mass transit. Adams (left) is shown here at National Airport in a 1977 photograph with Joseph Alexander of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Brockman "Brock" Adams ( January 13, 1927 – September 10, 2004) was an American politician and member of Congress. Adams was a Democrat from Washington and served as a U.S. Representative, Senator, and Secretary of Transportation before retiring in January 1993.
Adams was born in Atlanta, Georgia and attended the public schools in PortlandPortland is the largest city in Oregon, and county seat of Multnomah County. It is a major Pacific seaport located about sixty miles from the west coast of the United States, situated on both sides of the Willamette River, just south of its confluence wit, OregonOregon is a state located in the western United States bordering the Pacific Ocean, California, Washington, Idaho, and Nevada. Its northern border lies along the Columbia River and the east along the Snake River. Two north-south mountain ranges the Coasta. He attended the University of WashingtonThe University of Washington founded in 1861, is a major public research university in the Seattle metropolitan area. Its primary campus is in Seattle's University District, and it has two branch campuses in Tacoma and Bothell. Locally known as "U Dub," i at Seattle graduated in 19491949 is the common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 4 RMS Caronia of the Cunard Line departs Southampton for New York on her maiden voyage January 4 February 22 Series of winter storms in Nebraska, Wyoming,, and was admitted to Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. It is a prestigious American law school with about 2,000 students in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school was established in 1817 and has operated continuously since the, where he earned his law degree in 1952Summary of notable events in 1952 . Events January events January 8 West Germany has 8 million refugees inside its borders. January 24 Sudden heavy snowfall in Algeria. January 24 Vincent Massey sworn in as first Canada-born Governor-General of Canada.. Adams served in the U.S. NavyThe United States Navy USN is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. Navy consists of slightly fewer than 300 ships and over 4,000 operational aircraft. It has over a half million men and women on active or ready re from 1944 to 1946, and was admitted to the Washington state bar in 1952, opening a private practice in Seattle. Adams taught law at the American Institute of Banking from 1954 to 1960, and served as United States attorney for the Western District of Washington from 1961 to 1964.
Adams was elected as a Democrat to the House and served six terms beginning January 3, 1965. He was chairman for the newly created Budget Committee during the 94th Congress, and was considered to be a strong candidate for Speaker of the House. On January 22, 1977, Adams resigned to become the fifth Secretary of Transportation following his appointment by President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1979 and confirmation by the Senate. After resigning his Cabinet post on July 20, 1979, Adams resumed law practice, this time in Washington, DC, where he was a lobbyist for CSX Corporation and other railroad carriers.
On November 4, 1986, Adams was elected as a U.S. Senator, defeating incumbent Slade Gorton (677,471 to 650,931, 51.2 percent to 48.8 percent). Adams and served from January 3, 1987, to January 3, 1993. He chose not to be a candidate for reelection in 1992 after eight women made statements to the Seattle Times alleging that Adams had sexually harassed them. Adams denied the allegations, but his popularity statewide had weakened considerably from the scandal, and Adams chose to retire rather than risk losing the seat for his party. Adams never lost an election, and lived in Stevensville, Maryland until his death due to complications from Parkinson's disease.
Adams was a member of the American Bar Association and Phi Beta Kappa Society. He was an Episcopalian.
