K. Ross Toole Archives
The Mike Mansfield Papers: Series Notes
Series I: House: Bills Introduced by Mansfield, 1942-1952 (7.5 linear ft.)
This series covers all the bills that Mansfield introduced during his time in the House of Representatives. They include the 78th to the 82nd Congress. The series contains a broad range of materials relating to all aspects of legislation. The number of bills introduced by Mansfield increases with each Congress as the gains seniority. The bills also grow more substantive and related to national policy issues.
The series contains copies of each bill introduced and correspondence relating to the bill. When a bill was introduced in more than one session, the folder generally contains all previous drafts of the bill. Many folders have original working drafts of bills that include notes and revisions in Mansfield's hand. The folders also contain newspaper clippings and numerous letters from constituents, interest groups, and Congressional colleagues. A number of the bills are personal relief bills introduced on behalf of constituents in need of help. They provide a glimpse of the hardships many Montanans faced during World War II and its aftermath. Many cases relate to immigration difficulties and the struggles of veterans. There are letters from various government agencies, particularly the War and State departments, relating to relief cases. The relief folders often contain photographs and effusive thank-you notes.
The folders contain Mansfield's speeches to Congressional committees and on the House floor. There are several handwritten working drafts of speeches that include Mansfield's corrections. Planned testimony on pending legislation and specific pages from the Congressional Record are included as well.
Letters from constituents relating to pending bills offer insight into the political and economic opinions of Montanans during this era. A number of bills relate to federal land management, Native American policies, and large federal work projects in Montana. These folders contain numerous maps, blueprints, and photographs relating to specific projects. Of particular interest is the vigorous support for mining, flood control, and irrigation.
The rest of the series is comprised of Mansfield's replies to constituents, reports to congressional committees, telegrams, press releases, and memorandums. There are also copies of public laws after legislation was passed, letters from Senator James Murray, newsletters from constituent interest groups, and legal documents from various cases.
The series is arranged chronologically by Congress, with each folder containing information on a single bill. Substantive bills often occupy several folders. Some of the material relates directly to other series, including the Montana files, Projects, Federal Agencies, and Case Mail.
See a sample document from this series: H.R. 1628, 82nd Congress, 1st session. This provided for the land and buildings for the Forest Service's Fire Laboratory in Missoula, MT.
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Last Updated: 07 June 2002.