Washington Office

James Houton

James Houton Assistant Vice President External Relations

Union Pacific has named James Houton assistant vice president external relations. Houton will be in Union Pacific’s Washington, D.C., government affairs office working primarily on key railroad industry issues including safety, economic regulation and freight legislation.

Prior to joining the railroad, Houton was as a consultant with Elmendorf Strategies in Washington, D.C. He worked as the director of government relations for Microsoft Corporation, in the U.S. Senate for the Senate Democratic Leadership where he spearheaded the leadership’s outreach to the business community at the Steering & Coordination Committee and served as vice president of government relations with the New England Council.

Houton brings more than 15 years of Senate leadership and Capitol Hill lobbying experience to Union Pacific. His expertise and experience cover a broad range of issues including telecommunications and the Internet, antitrust and competition, trade, intellectual property protection, health care, class action/litigation reform and immigration.