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Congressional/Campaign Papers

Congressional Papers

Administrative (1976-2002):

This series contains Operations, Staff and Topical subseries, with files arranged in alphabetical order. The Operations subseries includes various manuals, House rules and the like. The Staff subseries focuses specifically on individual staff members and their actions (memoranda), or action pertinent to them such as travel reimbursement or pay. Topical files are general in nature.

Campaign (1976-2004):

This series is divided into Clippings, Correspondence and General subseries. Clippings are arranged chronologically and deal with either Presidential or Congressional campaigns. The Correspondence subseries, also arranged chronologically, pertains only to the 1988 Presidential campaign. General files cover both Presidential and Congressional campaigns and are arranged alphabetically. These files deal with issues, opponents, voting records and the like.

Constituent Relations (1977-2000):

The Constituent Relations series contains files that were created by Gephardt's office in response to incoming correspondence. Issue Mail Masters are those letters that respond to large volume of mail on a particular issue. Issue Mail Singles are responses to more select issues on which the office did not receive large quantities of mail. This series also contains Invitations and Newsletters. Files are arranged either alphabetically or chronologically depending on the subseries.

Correspondence (1976-2002):

Unlike Constituent Relations, which contains correspondence that dealt specifically to those within Gephardt's Congressional district, the Correspondence series deals with his Congressional correspondence only. This includes Congressman's Correspondence and Dear Colleague Letters subseries. The former are letters sent to or received from non-constituents, including government departments, cabinet offices, etc. Files are arranged chronologically.

District Office (1976-2004):

Files in this series originated in one of Gephardt's district offices (St. Louis City, Jefferson County, Mobile Office). The subseries are the same as those in the Congressional Papers, i.e., Administrative, Campaign, Correspondence, etc. Although there is information within that duplicates that found in the Washington office, other information deals specifically to the district and the district office.

Events (1977-1985):

A large portion of files in this series pertain to the Health Camporee held in St. Louis in 1979. There are also files dealing with the Soviet delegation to St. Louis, also in 1979. There is also a Conference subseries. All files are arranged alphabetically.

Legislative (1977-2002):

This series is by far the largest in the collection since it deals with Gephardt's Congressional activities. It includes Briefing Books (notebooks created by staff to cover a particular issue or event), Congressional Record Inserts, Legislative Activity Reports, Sponsored and Co-Sponsored Bills, and Subject Files. Staff Files are divided by the identified staffer as well as those that were not identified. The series also contains copies of Testimony delivered by Gephardt to various committees and subcommittees. Arrangement is either alphabetical or chronological depending on the subseries.

Personal (1977-2001):

Personal files include Biographical and Schedules subseries. Biographical files include those items submitted to the Congressional Almanac as well as items that are of a more personal nature that elaborate or clarify information about Gephardt the person. These are arranged alphabetically. Schedules are the detailed itineraries of Gephardt's travel, meetings and scheduled appointments.

Press (1976-2003):

Another large series, Press contains all press-related files generated by Gephardt's Washington office(s), i.e., Briefing Books, Press Conferences, Press Releases, and Statements, as well as press pieces and speeches written by Gephardt, i.e., Articles and Opinions/Editorials. The series also includes a massive collection of clippings about Gephardt or about topics of interest (Clippings and Subject Files). The Topical subseries deals with files that contain items from several of the other subseries but were kept together, usually by the press secretary. This series also contains Transcripts of Gephardt's television or radio appearances. Files are arranged alphabetically or chronologically depending on the subseries.

Travel (1985-2001):

Files associated with Gephardt's travels are found within this series. Briefing Books are those notebooks usually put together by staffers to deal with a particular trip or information about an issue or country pertinent to that trip. Most files within this subseries are associated with a particular Congressional delegation. Thus the Congressional Delegation subseries contains information related to that particular delegation's travel that was not part of a briefing book. The General subseries houses other information associated to travel that does not fit under either of the other subseries.

Audio Visual (1976-2004):

The Audio Visual series includes audio tapes and VHS and Beta tapes found within the Washington DC office files. They are not part of the separated material in that they were not housed originally within another series file. Subseries include Campaign, Focus Groups, Speeches; Off-Air Recordings-National Broadcasts; Off-Air Recordings-Local Broadcasts; and Off-Air Recordings-CSPAN Broadcasts.

Separated Material (1976-2004):

Items that could not be housed with the paper files in which they were found are now in the Separated Material series. This includes Artifacts, various Audio Visual materials, Digital Media, Oversize items, Photographs, Publications and Magazines. A separation sheet within the original file notes the identity and disposition of this material. A copy of that sheet is within the appropriate separated material file.

Campaign Papers

Administrative (1974-2002):

This series contains both Operations and Staff subseries, the latter being a very small group of files. Both subseries are arranged alphabetically. Operational files include reports, stationery information, receipts, franking information and approvals among other items. These files deal with the overall operation of the office. The Staff subseries (1974-1987) contains information about a few staff members, companies, and fundraising.

Campaign (1971-2004):

This series contains files pertinent to all Gephardt campaigns. Files within are arranged either chronological or alphabetical depending on the subseries. The Clippings subseries covers only the early part of Gephardt's Congressional career (1978-1988). The General subseries (1971-2004) are files that are Gephardt campaign specific. They are arranged alphabetically. Most information within the small Incoming Correspondence subseries (1977-2004), which is arranged chronologically, centers around the 2003-2004 Presidential race. The Andie King subseries (1981-1989) deals with files specifically identified with this Gephardt staffer, focus heavily on health, education and social security. The large Subject Files subseries (1975-2004) is non-Gephardt specific, although there are files that cross over. Files within this subseries include information on Contra amendments, energy, healthcare, and other politicians' campaign material.

Constituent Relations (1977-2003):

A very small series, Constituent Relations contains General files, Issue Mail Masters and Newsletters subseries. A large portion of the Issue Mail Masters is thank you letters.

Correspondence (1977-2003):

Most of the Correspondence files are arranged chronologically, although there are topical files under the Congressman's Correspondence subseries that are arranged alphabetically. That subseries includes specific mailings over time to individuals, the State of Missouri, the City of St. Louis and the White House. Dear Colleague Letters (1977-1997) are those items sent out to Gephardt's fellow Congressmen.

Debates (1987-1988):

A series not found in the Congressional Papers, these files deal only with Gephardt's first presidential campaign. The Briefing Books focus primarily on debates against Michael Dukakis. The General subseries, arranged alphabetically, includes background on the other candidates, issues and notes.

Events (1979-1993):

Information about the Health Camporee and the Job Search events comprise most of this extremely small series.

Legislative (1985-2003):

These files deal specifically with legislative issues during Gephardt's career. The campaign office appears to have retained most of this information as it pertained to Gephardt's various campaigns and issues to be addressed. Gephardt's 10% tax plan is the focus of the Briefing Books subseries, and covers only 1985. The Testimony and Subject files are arranged alphabetically, but Congressional Record Inserts and Sponsored and Co-Sponsored Bills are chronologically. This latter subseries deals only with the 95th Congress (1997).

Personal (1964-2004):

These files focus on Gephardt the man rather than his career, although the Legal subseries deals with ethics inquiry into his North Carolina house only (1987-1988) and are, thus, also related to his Congressional career. The Biological subseries (1964-2004) contains various biographical write ups, information from the University of Michigan and the tribute to Gephardt at the end of his political career. Personal items retained from momentous events in his life comprise the Memorabilia subseries (1969-1982), including items from President Carter's inauguration and the St. Louis Cardinal's World Series games. Schedules (1977-2000) consists of printouts of Gephardt's schedule for travel, various events and campaigning.

Press (1971-2004):

Although not as vast as the Press series in the Congressional Papers, this is one of the largest groupings in the Campaign Papers. Subseries include Articles, Clippings, Press Conferences, Press Releases, Speeches, Press Statements, Transcripts as well as General and Topical. Files are arranged either alphabetically or chronologically depending on the nature of the subseries. General files include items such as media packets, lists and logs. The Topical subseries, which is extremely small, focuses on issues pertinent to the 1988 Presidential race only.

Separated Material (XXXX-XXXX):

Artifacts, Audio Visual, Digital Media, Oversize and Photographs comprise this series. Campaign office staff gathered many of the items to create promotional pieces, thus for example, there are copies of many family photographs in the Photographs subseries. There are also artifacts from some of Gephardt's early Congressional Delegations and trips.

Travel (XXXX-XXXX):

Congressional Delegation material makes up most of this series. The General subseries includes various pieces of information about non-CoDel travel, much of which is associated with campaigning.

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