Robert J. Dole Senate Papers-Legislative Relations, 1969-1996 | Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections

Scope and Contents: The lawmaking function of a Senator's office is perhaps the best known and the most thoroughly documented. The Legislative Relations series of the Dole Senate Papers covers this important function. Legislative records include a variety of materials such as Congressional Research Service reports, memoranda and correspondence, personal notes, published material, bill drafts, Senate committee proceedings, press materials, and other information. These various materials were maintained by the Senator's staff of legislative assistants. A full list of legislative assistants and their areas of topical expertise appears in the sub-series description for the Legislative Assistants Files. This series demonstrates the ways in which the Senator's office crafted legislation or responded to bills proposed in either the House or the Senate. Of significant importance are the Legislative Assistants Files. These contain information about nearly every political and legislative issue that came before the Senate from 1969-1996, and also show evidence of carry-over from Senator Dole's time in the House of Representatives. This sub-series contains information that may not be found elsewhere, and shows the often contradictory opinions of LAs in the same office.