Series Description

I. Departments and Agencies: Box 1-12, six linear feet

These six linear feet of materials document the general correspondence received by a congressman from over forty-five federal departments, agencies, commissions, and administrative offices. Of particular note during this time period are the files on the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission and White House files.

II. Correspondence, General: Box 13-33, eleven linear feet

Arranged alphabetically by year, these eleven linear feet of general correspondence reflect the concerns of constituents in the Fifth Congressional District. Unfortunately, correspondence for letters P-Z for 1975 and all of 1976 has been lost.

III. Correspondence, Alphabetical by topic: Box 34-60, thirteen linear feet

These 220 files contain a variety of materials including office files, district office files, info by topic, Texas files, and Dallas files. Mail files consist of thank yous, greetings, and congratulations from 1973-1976. Office files include biographies, voting records, GOP correspondence and campaign materials.

IV. Press Releases, Schedules, and Information Requests: Box 61-74, eight linear feet

The press files are arranged by year (File 436-575) with 1973 slightly out of order (File 599-670). The Schedules, file 576-598, contain district schedules, out-of-state schedules, statewide events, and Carolyn's schedules, 1973. Information Requests include some Thank You letters and card acknowledgements along with general request files, 671-683.

V. Legislation by committee: Box 75-145, 148-149, thirty-six linear feet

This is the largest series in the collection. Congressmen receive materials from a host of House committees/sub-committees, in addition to the ones on which they serve. These files contain materials from at least seventeen of these. Significant files are included from the following:

• Armed Services, File 703-716
• Banking and Currency, File 717-733
• Education, File 734-768
• Foreign Affairs, File 815-845
• Government Operations, File 846-857, 869-881
• Interior and Insular Affairs, File 858-861, 882-937
• Judiciary, File 938-1018
• Labor, File 778-814
• Post Office and Civil Service, File 1020-1037
• Ways and Means, File 1038-1073, 1102-1112

Of particular note are the files under Judiciary dealing with Presidential impeachment, pardon, Watergate, the Vice-President, and campaign reform.

VI. Legislation by Topic: Box 146-147, 150-191, twenty linear feet

In addition to the materials received by congressmen related to specific departments or committees, another large number items are best arranged by issue. This series contains many files addressing specific concerns of the Fifth Congressional District. These include

• Amtrak, File 1074-1101
• Big Thicket, File 1113-1137
• Economy, File 1249-1263
• Energy, File 1219-1248, 1264-1288
• Trinity River, File 1344-1367

VII. Case Files: Box 192-215, twelve linear feet

Traditionally, case files contain constituent requests for personal problem solving. These files are arranged alphabetically by year, 1974-1976. There are no files for 1973. Due to the provisions of the Right to Privacy Act, the contents of these files are protected until 75 years after the death of the constituent. This makes the files impractical to retain, so they will probably be discarded after a list of each constituent is made.