Heather J. Gradison

Heather J. Gradison (born on 6. September 1952 in Houston , Texas , as Heather Jane Stirton) was from 1985 to 1990 director of the American regulatory Interstate Commerce Commission .

Life

Heather Jane Gradison received her Bachelor of Applied Arts degree from Radford College in Radford , Virginia in 1975 . She then studied at George Washington University until 1978 . From 1974 to 1982 she worked at the Southern Railway in various positions, most recently as a clerk for freight charges. In 1980 she married Republican Congressman Willis David Gradison .

On March 22, 1982, the 29-year-old was proposed by President Ronald Reagan as the successor to Robert C. Gresham's seat on the Interstate Commerce Commission. Confirmation by the Senate took place on June 16, 1982. On June 18, 1982, she took her oath of office. On December 17, 1985, she succeeded Reese H. Taylor Jr. as chair of the agency. Their regular term ended on December 31, 1988. The Congressmen were dissatisfied with their uncompromising work. In particular, they saw the implementation of the Railroad Deregulation Act (Staggers Act) and the balance between the railway companies and large freight customers as inadequate. In many cases, concerns from freight customers were rejected on the grounds that regulation would not take place, with the result that they then opposed the ICC decisions to the congressmen as well in order to obtain a change in the law. In addition, there were other controversial decisions regarding the safeguarding of employee rights in the case of outsourcing of railway companies or in the approval of freight rates for truck forwarding companies. A new nomination was therefore not supported. She therefore announced her resignation on May 25, 1989. She remained in office until her successor Edward J. Philbin was confirmed and resigned on February 12, 1990.

Then worked in the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute .

In 1994, the marriage with Bill Gradison was divorced. The marriage had four children.

Web links

• Interstate Commerce Commission Reports. Decisions October 1989 to July 1990. Vol.6 2nd Series
• Hearing nomination (including biographical data)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Ronald Reagan, "Designation of Heather J. Gradison as Chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission," December 13, 1985. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project.
2. ↑ joc.com January 22, 1989: Renomination unearned
3. ↑ Los Angeles Times May 26, 1989: Gradison Resigns as Head of Commerce Commission