Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, U.S. Senator and Representative, businessman, Texas county judge, and decorated World War Two veteran, was born in Mission, Texas, on February 11, 1921. He ran for Vice-President of the United States in 1988 on the Democratic ticket with then Massachusettes governor Michael Dukakis. He served as Secretary of the Treasury under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1994. Bentsen kept up a full schedule until 1998, when he retired after a decline in his health. He died on May 23, 2006.
Correspondence, printed material, creative works, legal documents, financial documents, minutes, photographic materials, sound recordings, and works of art make up the papers of Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr. (1930-1994, bulk 1971-1993). Bentsen and his staff created the bulk of the material during his term as United States Senator from Texas (1971-1993), though the papers also contain records from Bentsen's term as United States Secretary of the Treasury (1993-1994). A limited amount of the material documents Bentsen's career in business and his private life. Few records exist from his term in the United States House of Representatives (1948-1955).
The material is organized in ten subgroups. The first seven subgroups consist of records from Bentsen's Senate offices.
Casework and personnel files are restricted for 75 years after creation, up to the year 2068.
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Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr., Papers, 1921-1998, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin
Click on a subgroup link below to view the detailed inventory for that subgroup.
Senator Bentsen's Legislative staff researched, developed, and followed legislation. The staff's expertise and work reflected Bentsen's committee assignments. Among the committees he served on during his Senate career were Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Defense; Environment and Public Works; Finance; Intelligence; Joint Committee on Finance; Joint Committee on Taxation.
Bentsen's Legislative Director (LD) was the head of the section staff. The LD worked directly with the Senator and coordinated the legislative staff's work to meet Bentsen's needs for legislation, outgoing correspondence, and information. The staff consisted of Legislative Assistants (LAs) and Research Assistants (RAs). LAs developed new bills for possible introduction by the Senator and kept him informed about the progress of existing legislation. Typically, each LA was responsible for several areas of legislation. LDs provided LAs with reference materials and occasionally researched and developed legislation themselves. Research Assistants (RAs) worked with LAs, researching and drafting letters to constituents about current issues. A Chief Research Assistant oversaw the RAs.
Senator Bentsen's career as a lawmaker is most fully represented by his Legislative Section files, which document the bills he sponsored, his voting and attendance records, the information gathered by his staff to assist him in making decisions and drafting legislation, and the plans and strategies that shaped his actions. Correspondence, printed material, notes, and legal documents comprise the bulk of the files.
The Legislative files subgroup is divided into two series: Central Files, 1971-1993, and Legislative Staff Files, 1945-1993. Secretarial staff filed and maintained the central legislative files. Legislative Staff Files were maintained by individual staff members themselves.
The subgroup includes Bentsen's voting record as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1949-1955, but otherwise does not document his career as a Representative.
The Legislative Staff Files include a variety of printed material and correspondence created or assembled by Legislative Directors (LDs), Legislative Assistants (LAs), and Research Assistants (RAs). Each individual maintained his or her own files. The inventory is arranged by staff members' names.
Of particular note are the files of the LDs, who worked directly with Bentsen and coordinated and monitored the work of the LA staff. On the following inventory, LDs Van McMurtry (1986-1989), Blaine Bull (1989-1991), and Philip Diehl (1991-1993) provide particularly full sets of legislative staff memoranda. Files created by LDs Mike Pate (1979-1986) and David Morgan (1979-1980) primarily reflect their work on energy legislation. Some of Pate's LD files are in the Miscellaneous Subject and Correspondence Files section of the Central files. Mike Naeve served as LD (1978-1980) but his files reflect his work on transportation issues. Earlier LDs have not been identified. For further LD correspondence, see individual LA files and the Legislative Correspondence Files of the Legislative Central Files.
The LA files contain memos to the Senator; correspondence from government officials, fellow members of Congress, constituents, and lobbyists; notes made by staff members; draft and completed versions of legislation; news clippings, articles, and reports; floor and committee statements; and other material. The LA files contain the information and opinions staff presented to Bentsen, which helped to shape his thinking and stances on various issues. The RA files resemble LA files but generally contain more printed material, consistent with their use for reference.
The series includes a small number of Office Administration files created by secretary Doris Larson (1976-1978, 1980). The Central Files Series includes appointment schedules for legislative staff, January-April, 1977.
See list following inventory for names, titles, and areas of responsibility for legislative staff. Since staff collaborated and occasionally took over files created by their predecessors, some of files on the inventory are listed under multiple creators. Most of the names on the inventory are LAs. A separate group of RA files, not listed by their creators, is at the end.