Harley Orrin Staggers | |
|---|---|
 Staggers in 1966 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWest Virginia's2nd district | |
| In office January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Melvin C. Snyder |
| Succeeded by | Cleve Benedict |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Harley Orrin Staggers (1907-08-03)August 3, 1907 Keyser, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | August 20, 1991(1991-08-20) (aged 84) Cumberland, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mary Casey Staggers |
| Children | Margaret Anne Staggers Mary Kaye Staggers Frances Susan Tasker Elizabeth Ellen Shank Harley O. Staggers Jr. Daniel Staggers |
| Alma mater | Emory and Henry College |
| Occupation | Teacher |
Harley Orrin Staggers Sr. (August 3, 1907 – August 20, 1991) was an American politician who served 16 terms in theUnited States House of Representatives from 1949 to 1981, representingWest Virginia's 2nd Congressional District as aDemocrat. From 1966 until his retirement in 1981, Congressman Staggers chaired the powerful House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (today theCommittee on Energy and Commerce). A longtime supporter of the American railroad industry and its workers, Congressman Staggers' landmark legislative achievement was theStaggers Rail Act, passed in 1980.
Staggers was born on August 3, 1907, inKeyser,Mineral County, West Virginia; he graduated fromEmory and Henry College in 1931 and did graduate work atDuke University.
Staggers served as sheriff ofMineral County from 1937 to 1941. He served as a navigator in theU.S. Naval Air Corps duringWorld War II. In 1948, Staggers was elected to theU.S. House of Representatives, representingWest Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. He was reelected to another 15 terms in the congress, serving until his retirement in 1981. For 16 years, from 1966 until his retirement, Staggers chaired the powerful House Committee on Foreign and Interstate Commerce (Energy and Commerce), the longest uninterrupted tenure of any chairman of that committee in its over 200-year history (Staggers' successor,John Dingell, served for 14 years from 1981 until 1995 and again from 2007 until 2009). He was a delegate to theDemocratic National Convention from West Virginia in 1960. Staggers did not sign the 1956Southern Manifesto, and voted in favor of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957,[1]1960,[2]1964,[3] and1968,[4] as well as the24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and theVoting Rights Act of 1965.[5][6] He died inCumberland, Maryland on August 20, 1991.
On June 10, 1971, theU.S. Supreme Court ruled that theNixon Administration could not blockThe New York Times from publishing thePentagon Papers. The next month, on July 12, 1971, Staggers orderedCBS News to hand over film not used in the documentary,Selling of the Pentagon.
According to Staggers this was the only way to know if thedocumentary had been accurately edited. The president of CBS News,Frank Stanton, said he would go to jail before complying with Staggers'subpoenas. The House supported Stanton and Staggers was forced to abandon his ultimatum.
In 1973, Staggers heard on the radio theJohn Lennon song "Working Class Hero" — which includes the lines "'Til you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules" and "But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see" — onWGTB and lodged a complaint with theFederal Communications Commission (FCC).[7] The manager of the station, Ken Sleeman, faced a year in prison and a $10,000 fine, but defended his decision to play the song saying, "The People of Washington, DC are sophisticated enough to accept the occasional four-letter word in context, and not become sexually aroused, offended, or upset." The charges were dropped.[8]
On May 11, 1973, the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce which was chaired by Staggers issued a press release[9] summarizing the results of an investigation that determined illegal drug use existed in all level of sports. The investigation also described the degree of use, including steroids and amphetamines, as alarming.[citation needed]
In 1980, Congress passed legislation crafted by Congressman Staggers and other members of the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee to carry out thederegulation of America'srailroad industry. TheStaggers Rail Act was signed into law by PresidentJimmy Carter on October 14, 1980, and named in honor of Congressman Staggers in recognition of his many years of work on the part of railroad companies and their workers. By eliminating archaic regulations over the railroad industry, the bill allowed rail companies to enter into contracts with shippers and set their own prices withoutInterstate Commerce Commission approval. The Staggers Rail Act is viewed as having a significant role in strengthening the American railroad industry as well as improving safety.[10]
A Federal Court and Post Office building in Morgantown, West Virginia as well as a portion of Water Street in his hometown of Keyser, West Virginia, are named in honor of Congressman Staggers.
Staggers's daughter Mary Kaye Staggers was a professor atPotomac State College and is a member of the West Virginia Democratic Executive Committee. His sons,Harley O. Staggers Jr. and Daniel C. Staggers, practice law inKeyser,West Virginia. Harley Jr. was also a member of theUnited States House of Representatives, representingWest Virginia's 2nd congressional district from 1983 to 1993. His daughterMargaret Anne "Peggy" Staggers, a resident ofFayetteville, West Virginia, has been a member of theWest Virginia House of Delegates since 2006. Daughter Susan owned and managed two successful local businesses in Keyser until her and her husband's retirement. His daughter Ellen resides inMorgantown.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromWest Virginia's 2nd congressional district January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1981 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Oren Harris Arkansas | Chairman of theHouse Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee 1966–1981 | Succeeded by John Dingell Michigan |
| Commerce and Manufactures (1795–1819) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Commerce (1819–1893) | ||
| Interstate and Foreign Commerce (1893–1981) | ||
| Energy and Commerce (1981–present) | ||
