Margaret Heckler

Margaret Mary O'Shaughnessy Heckler ( born June 21, 1931 in Flushing, New York City ) is an American diplomat and politician of the Republican Party, which was both a Member of the House of Representatives and Minister of Health of the United States.

Biography

After school, she studied at Leiden University, then at Albertus Magnus College, where she earned a 1953 Bachelor of Arts ( BA). Subsequent thereto postgraduate studies in law at the Law School of Boston College, she finished 1956 with a Bachelor of Laws ( LL.B. ). During her studies she was editor of the Annual Survey of Massachusetts Law. Once admitted to practice law in the State of Massachusetts 1956, she worked for several years in this profession. Between 1962 and 1966 she served on as a member of the Governor's Council, an advisory body to the Governor of Massachusetts.

Her political career began in 1964 and 1968 as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. 1966 Margaret Heckler was first elected as a Member from Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives and represented there the 10th congressional district of their state. The nomination to the first candidate they could prevail against the long-standing MPs Joseph William Martin, who was twice Speaker of the House. After seven elections they belonged to the House of Representatives thus from 3 January 1967 to 3 January 1983. In 1982, she defeated her Democratic challenger Gerry Studds.

After her defeat, she was appointed to the Cabinet on 9 March 1983 by U.S. President Ronald Reagan to the Minister of Health (U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services ) and has held this cabinet post until 13 December 1985.

Subsequently, she was on 17 December 1985 to August 1989 the U.S. Ambassador in Ireland. Margaret Heckler was next, as trustee ( Trustee ) of the Caring Institute operates. After that she withdrew from political life and settled in Wellesley.