Part 1 (Stevens Point Mss BO, Stevens Point Micro 31, Micro 666, Audio 1359A, PH Stevens Point BO, PH 6782 (5)): Original Collection, 1904-1979
Physical Description: 78.0 cubic feet (67 record center cartons, 54 archives boxes, 1 card box, 2 flat boxes), 2 reels of microfilm (35 mm), 31 tape recordings, 7 disc recordings, 552 photographs, and 217 film reels 
Scope and Content Note

The Laird papers are divided into four series: BIOGRAPHICAL AND PERSONAL MATERIAL, WISCONSIN LEGISLATIVE PAPERS, CONGRESSIONAL PAPERS, and PENTAGON PAPERS. The papers are primarily political and legislative in focus, although there are some early personal and family materials. The papers primarily document the years from 1946 to 1973, with only about 5% of the collection documenting Laird's tenure as secretary of defense. Documentation about the congressional years (1953-1969) is also incomplete, however. Early service in Congress during the 1950s is virtually unrepresented, and it is not known if these files exist. In addition, several areas of major research interest such as the Appropriations Committee files and the Republican Conference are disappointing, perhaps because the files donated to the Historical Society are Laird's own files, not the “official” committee records presumed to be held by the National Archives. In general, the collection presents little personal material, and as a result Laird's reputation as a powerful behind-the-scenes political figure is not well documented.

During the course of his career Laird corresponded with many of the nation's most prominent political leaders. These original autograph letters have been removed to the Historical Society's autograph collection and replaced with photocopies. Among photocopied letters are those of Earl Blaik, George Bush, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Barry Goldwater, Henry Cabot Lodge, Robert S. McNamara, Richard M. Nixon, and Hyram G. Rickover.

The BIOGRAPHICAL AND PERSONAL MATERIAL series is an assemblage of miscellaneous biographical information and memorabilia, together with some personal and family correspondence. The subseries Biographical Miscellany includes official Christmas cards, a transcript of a 1979 oral history, a sample of the guest books signed by visitors to Laird's Congressional office, information on testimonial dinners, photographs, and clipping scrapbooks. (The clipping scrapbooks are unprocessed in Madison, but scheduled for microfilming.) The photographs are almost exclusively pre-1969, and they are arranged alphabetically by subject. Photocopies are available at the Area Research Center, with the original prints retained in the Visual Materials Archive in Madison. Also classed here are several film and sound recordings that were not appropriate elsewhere in the collection.

The subseries Personal Files include both personal and business correspondence. The former category consists of exchanges with family members, primarily his mother and Mary Connor (Mrs. Gordon Connor). Many letters in this section discuss investments and financial matters. A separate section entitled “Connor Company Correspondence” relates to Laird's responsibilities with the family business which ended in 1950. A third section entitled “Family Correspondence” consists of papers written or received by W.D. Connor, Laird's grandfather, and Melvin Laird Sr., his father. Papers of the elder Melvin Laird primarily concern financial matters, settlement of the estates of relatives, and real estate. Except for two pieces of campaign literature and a legislative memorial, there is nothing here about his political or ministerial career.

The W.D. Connor papers consist of only two folders, but given the scarcity of documentation about him in archival custody elsewhere, this file is significant. The 1904 correspondence consists of congratulations from individuals such as John J. Blaine and James A. Frear for Connor's management of the La Follette election victory. Later correspondence is spotty, with notable letters from Irvine Lenroot, Isaac Stephenson, and Charles Kennedy, clerk of the mayor of Milwaukee. The 1906 correspondence from John Spooner, James O. Davidson, Robert M. La Follette Sr., and others relates to Connor's break with the La Follettes.

The WISCONSIN LEGISLATIVE PAPERS are arranged alphabetically, generally by correspondent and/or organizational name and occasionally by subject. This section of the collection offers good documentation of the Wisconsin Legislature of a period for which the Historical Society holds only limited similar records. However, the alphabetical scheme by which the Laird staff organized the files does not make them easily accessible for topical research. The file is a mix of correspondence with constituents, other legislators, and advocacy groups. A small, separate subject file contains material on veterans housing and disability benefits, the Commission on the Improvement of the Educational System, and the Legislative Council's Committee on Taxation.

The CONGRESSIONAL PAPERS are the largest part of the Laird Papers, and they consist of eight subseries: Legislative Files, Speeches and Writings, Subject Files, Departmental Files, District Files, Miscellaneous Correspondence, Political Files, and Indexes.

The Legislative Files divide into Voting Records, Laird Bills, Appropriation Committee Files, and General Legislation. Information about Laird's votes is readily accessible in the Congressional Record. As the result, the only records on this subject retained in the papers are the official bound reports issued by the Clerk of the House and a chronological list of Laird's votes prepared by the Library of Congress with citations to the Congressional Record. For the 90th Congress only, the records include a Republican Party publication, Voting Records, annotated to indicate Laird's votes and pairings.

The files on Laird's own bills have been weeded to remove information readily available through other sources such as printed copies of bills and committee prints. For reference purposes, the collection contains a comprehensive list of all bills introduced by Laird prepared by the Library of Congress. Form letters and orchestrated constituent correspondence have also been weeded to remove duplicate and routine letters. Comprehensive documentation relating to drafting and revision of specific bills and to unintroduced bills has been retained, along with all documentation received about constituent views and deliberations. These files are arranged chronologically by session and then by bill number, and they primarily consist of correspondence, together with some drafts, background information, and occasional hearing materials. They document Laird's strong interest in dairy products, revenue sharing, termination of the Menominee Reservation, private school tuition deductions, and hardwood tariffs.

Because his position on the Appropriations Committee was a source of Laird's power and influence on defense and medical issues, this section is potentially the most important part of the Laird Papers. Unfortunately, like other parts of the collection, records of the early years (in this case the 83rd and 85th Congresses) are missing. The later files are limited by the fact that they are not “official” files documenting legislative deliberations and policy making, even for the subcommittees that Laird headed. Instead, the files typically consist of correspondence from the general public about issues and some correspondence from legislative colleagues. The Appropriations Committee files are arranged alphabetically by topic or subcommittee, with those on Defense and HEW (and its Health and Education subcommittees) being the most extensive. Of special interest are files on military construction and military inspection trips, all dating only from the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The General Legislative files, that is those bills that were not introduced or sponsored by Laird, are arranged alphabetically by committee and chronologically thereunder. These files cover only the years 1957 and 1961 to 1968. Except for a few scattered items of earlier date, no other constituent correspondence on legislation was received in the Archives. Best documented here is the legislation reviewed by the Ways and Means Committee on topics such as civil rights, gun control measures proposed following the assassinations of Edward Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., Social Security, and the implementation of Medicare. There are also substantial files on agriculture, especially dairy legislation, and repeal of the Taft-Hartley Law. After the mid-1960s the Vietnam War is a prominent topic in the Foreign Affairs Committee files.

The Speeches and Writings are arranged alphabetically by genre: Articles, Books, Columns, Filmed Television Programs, Interviews, Newsletters, Press Releases, Scripts, and Speeches. Each varies in completeness. For the three books written during this phase of Laird's career, The Conservative Papers, A House Divided, and The Republican Papers, the files consist primarily of clippings and reviews rather than drafts, but a printed copy of A House Divided and correspondence from friends and associates about the publication are included. An additional copy of House Divided and a copy of the Republican Papers may be found in the Historical Society Library. The Library also holds copies of Laird's post-1968 publications.

Coverage is complete, however, for writings that pertain to his legislative career such as his weekly columns, newsletters, and press releases. These records are without doubt the best and most concise part of the collection in which to examine Laird's views and his interaction with his district. Many of the public information files are preceded by topical lists that facilitate access. The collection also includes many films and scripts for his weekly television programs, “Your Washington Office Report.” These five-minute programs that were filmed in the Capitol feature Laird and guests discussing various current issues. Coverage here is most complete from 1961 through 1967. This program often included other Wisconsin congressmen (John Byrnes, Glenn Davis, Henry Schadeberg, William Steiger, Clement Zablocki, for example) as well as national leaders such as Gerald Ford, John Gardner, Arthur J. Goldberg, and Willard Wirtz. (If a personal name is included in the Container List description, that person is a guest, not just a subject of discussion.) This section also includes recordings of numerous interviews and speeches, among them several appearances on Face the Nation. Because they are available in the Congressional Record the text of Laird's floor remarks are not included, although a useful index and files entitled “Extension of Remarks,” are included.

The Subject Files are arranged alphabetically and chronologically thereunder. The files include only a few isolated folders for the 1957-1958 session, but they appear to be complete for the years 1959 through 1968. A substantial portion of the correspondence in this series is arranged only by first letter of the correspondent's name, but there are individual folders for various individuals, organizations, and subjects when the correspondence was more extensive. The Subject Files include a wide variety of topics pertaining to the daily functioning of Laird's office such as invitations, thank you letters, congratulations (both sent and received), form letters, and records of office visitors and contacts with the media. The series is strong on the interaction between the Washington office and the home office in Marshfield and the home secretary, Robert Dunkel. Also filed here are materials on contacts with the University of Wisconsin, various Wisconsin associations and organizations, and Wisconsin governmental agencies and officials such as Governor Warren Knowles. (Much of this state governmental material is analogous to the Departmental Files subseries which document the agencies of the federal government and which is described below.) Correspondence with individuals in the Subject Files frequently involves requests for information or favors from individuals with whom Laird was acquainted such as Steve Miller of the Central Cheese Company, George Page of the Pure Milk Product Cooperative, and Robert Froehlke, CEO of Sentry Insurance and the long time head of the Laird for Congress Club. Material filed under the heading “Members” in this section documents non-legislative contacts with other congressmen. Particularly interesting are the files on the Chowder and Marching Society and other congressional social/policy groups. Other files document Laird's involvement with the American Paper and Pulp Association and other organizations representing agriculture and the dairy industry, agricultural cooperatives, and the timber industry. Still other files of this section represent charitable interests such as the Marshfield Clinic.

The Departmental Files are arranged alphabetically by U.S. governmental agency, and like the Legislative Files they document only the years 1957 and 1961 through 1968. Records of the earlier years are presumed to have been discarded before transfer of the collection to the Historical Society. In general, the files are a mix of casework and issues. As originally received by the Historical Society the casework was extensive for the military agencies, the Veterans Administration, the Social Security Administration, and the Post Office. The Post Office cases, which were particularly voluminous, have been sampled. However, an extensive representation of the military and veterans cases has been retained because of Laird's later position as Secretary of Defense. Important issue files relate to the Fox and Wolf Rivers and the airports serving the district. Also part of this subseries is a file of letters destined to various presidential staff and advisers at the White House and a group of letters to the President selected by Laird or his staff as among his most important correspondence.

The small section entitled District File is of curious provenance. Although the files were clearly created and maintained in the Marshfield office, it is unlikely that they represent more than a small portion of the local files that once existed. The disposition of the other home office records is unknown. A fuller understanding of district matters may be gleaned from the green carbons of outgoing correspondence which were a sort of alphabetical correspondent index. These carbons are complete for Laird's entire tenure in Congress. The retention of any district material is unusual among the congressional collections held by the Historical Society, and as a result, the Laird collection provides important insights in the way in which a congressional home office operated. In addition to information about casework and management of local events, some files relate to the personal activities of home secretary Robert Dunkel.

The Miscellaneous Correspondence is comprised of letters from correspondents who did not reside in the Seventh Congressional District. The most important mail here dates from 1965 to 1968, and the existence of the file confirms Laird's emergence as a national figure. The correspondence is arranged by year and then alphabetically by name. A special index for this correspondence comprised of chronologically arranged yellow carbons has been retained to help researchers locate the correspondence associated with particular events.

The Political Files are subdivided into two sections: Campaign Files and Republican Party Files. The campaign files are arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by subject. The Republican Party files are arranged alphabetically by organization or committee name and chronologically thereunder. Except for one piece of campaign literature documenting his initial run for elective office in 1946, the Campaign Files chiefly document Laird's congressional campaigns. The files are a mix of materials generated by the campaign leaders in Wisconsin (Dunkel and Froelke, in particular) and files clearly created and maintained in Washington, D.C. They variously include campaign literature, form letters, publicity and clippings, statistical results and analyses, financial information and reports, and files about the Laird for Congress Club. For some years general planning documents are included. The 1952 files also contain information on Laird's participation in the Robert Taft presidential campaign in Wisconsin. Supplementing the paper documentation are numerous radio and television spots and outtakes. Campaigns from 1958 to 1968 are represented, with the year 1962 being the most extensively documented by film. The ads typically include interviews (often by Walter John Chilsen) with district residents, endorsements, and jingles. In several, Laird endorses other candidates.

Among the Party Files there are materials on both congressional and national party organizations such as the National Republican Congressional Committee, the Republican National Committee, and the Republican Coordinating Committee. This series also includes a large quantity of general partisan and political correspondence primarily from constituents that is subdivided into national, Wisconsin, and Seventh District headings.

Of special importance are the files on the Republican Conference, the Republican congressional caucus, of which Laird was chair, and the files on the 1962 Joint Committee on Republican Principles. Despite Laird's well known prominence on the committee, National Convention Platform Committee files are disappointing, including only one file of general correspondence for the 1960 convention, for which Laird was committee vice-chair, and two folders for the 1964 convention, for which he was the chair. Although the latter includes some policy papers, press releases, clippings, interviews, and correspondence, there is little about the committee's deliberations and decision-making. The 1962 Joint Committee on Republican Principles, which drafted a statement of party policy between the 1960 and 1964 national conventions, is documented by correspondence, clippings, and draft materials.

It is unlikely that the Republican Conference files in the Laird Papers represent that committee's “official” records. The files include some important documentation such as minutes, but they are noticeably incomplete. The remainder of this section consists of information from the various conference task forces and a file on the revision of its handbook on Vietnam.

The Party Files also include several folders on Laird's involvement in Richard Nixon's 1960 and 1968 presidential campaigns. The 1960 papers primarily concern Nixon's farm policy and the Wisconsin campaign. The 1968 papers relate to the Nixon Key Issues Committee of which Laird was a member. A small file on the Nixon Transition Team includes notes and a lengthy letter from Laird to Bryce Harlow about possible Cabinet appointments.

Laird's congressional office prepared multiple carbons of all outgoing letters which they filed alphabetically both by correspondent name and by residence. Each file was distinguished by colored paper and each formed a sort of Index to the correspondence. The carbon indexes partially compensate for the incomplete documentation of the early congressional years. The pink carbons, which cover the years 1953-1956 and 1958-1960, provide the only documentation in the collection for that period. For 1957 the only coverage in the collection is a file of blue carbons arranged by subject. (This small file has been incorporated with the 1957 Pink Index. ). For the post-1960 years where the coverage of the papers is extensive, only the blue out-of-district carbons have been retained in order to facilitate access to nationally prominent correspondents.

The PENTAGON FILES consist of Subject Files, Correspondence, Schedules, and Public Statements. The Subject Files consist of congratulatory letters Laird received as a result of his appointment as secretary of defense, a substantial portion of which came from Wisconsin residents; letters of appreciation received when he announced his resignation; general thank you letters; and files about a trip to Japan and Korea in 1971. The Correspondence consists of papers that Laird's staff entitled either “unofficial” or “personal.” This mail is filed in three discrete sections, none of which documents Laird's tenure completely: a chronological file of outgoing 1969 letters, a file entitled “general” that covers 1969-1970, and an incomplete file entitled “personal” covering 1970-1971. The distinction between the personal and general categories is not apparent.

The typed Schedules cover Laird's entire tenure as secretary and they are available as both paper and microfilm. They provide a minute-by-minute record of the secretary's day and brief information on the nature of his activities and visitors. There are also occasional references to telephone calls. The schedules were originally loaned for microfilming, with the originals to be returned to the donor. Because of their loan status, the files were filmed in the order received: reverse chronological order. Bound volumes of Public Statements, of which the Historical Society's copy is probably one of several sets, consist of transcribed interviews, press conferences, appearances at committee hearings, and clippings. A list of contents is included in each volume. In addition to public statements in paper format, the collection also includes recorded versions of Laird's appearances on Meet the Press as secretary of defense on March 23, 1969 and February 22, 1970.

Series: Biographical and Personal Material

Subseries: Biographical miscellany

Autographed portraits of associates

Photocopied prints

Original prints

Awards

Biographical information

Biographical recordings and films

“Meet the Member” profile of Laird, 1968 September 17

Introduction of Laird and other members of Nixon cabinet, 1968 December 11

Laird on the Wolf River, 1968 August
Physical Description: 8 mm positive, color, silent, 170 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Footage shot by William Morris of the NWRPC of Laird viewing the Wolf River.

Eisenhower and Laird at a picnic table, undated
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, color, black/white, silent, 75 feet (2 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Raw footage of Laird and Eisenhower at a picnic table.

“Truth About Labor Racketeering,” with Laird opening and closing, circa 1960
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 575 feet (16 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird opening and closing narration bracketing a non-Laird produced film on the Landrum-Griffin Labor Reform bill. Features congressional testimony on labor racketeering, comments from President Eisenhower, and concludes with Laird calling it a “working man's bill.”

Calendar, 1964

Christmas cards, 1952-1963

Clippings (loose), 1957, 1959, 1961-1968, undated

Distribution of materials with Laird label

Pledge of Allegiance by Irving Caesar, recorded House, 1956
Note: Formerly Disc 223A/6.

Sample flags flown over Capitol to be presented by Laird to constituents (48 and 49 stars)

Guest book, 1953-1957

House gallery pass record, 1954-1963

Memorabilia

Miscellany

Marshfield Clinic's Laird Room brochure

Oral history transcript, 1979

Photographs

Original prints

Campaign brochure photos

Campaigning for self

Candids and personal photos

Capitol steps

Congressional duties

Family

Oversize prints

Famous people with Laird

Great Britain, Congressional trip, 1954

Health organizations

Menominees

Military appropriations and military personnel

Party activities

, 1968 Republican State of the Union address

Portraits

Testimonial, with Richard Nixon, 1959

Vietnam trip, 1969

Photocopied prints

Post-Pentagon writings, 1973

Scrapbooks (unprocessed; to be microfilmed)

Speech programs (not in scrapbooks)

Telephone list

Testimonials, 1959, 1964, 1969

Subseries: Personal files

Personal correspondence

General, 1953-1965

Baird & Company, 1957

C

Carleton College, 1946-1965

Central State Bank

Connor, Elizabeth, 1953-1956

Connor, Mary (Mrs. Gordon Connor), 1958-1968

Connor, Richard, 1946-1954

Connor, Robert

Connor, Reuben

Connor, W.D., Jr.

Crawford, Ray, 1955

D-F

First Wisconsin Trust Company

G-I

Industrial College of the Armed Forces, 1950

Insurance, 1948, 1955-1956

J-K

Laird, Melvin

Laird, Alison

Laird, David

Laird, Helen, 1950-1969, undated

Laird, John, 1959-1964

Laird, Richard, 1950-1963

Laird, William Connor

Laird Farm Property

Laird Marshfield Property and Residence

M

Miscellaneous financial papers

N

Naval Reserve

O

Osborne Estate

P

Piscatorial and Inside Straight Society, 1957-1963

R

Regency Enterprises

S-T

Tenants and leases, 1956-1957

Empty folder

U-W

White, Weld & Company, Buy and sell orders

Y-Z

Connor Company correspondence

General, 1947-1950

D-E

Expense statements

F-L

Laona Northern Railway Company, 1947-1950

M

Pallets

Poles, Western Cedar

Rasmussen, Thomas, 1947-1950

Security Insurance Agency, 1947-1950

T-Z

Family correspondence

Connor, W.D., correspondence, 1904-1943

Laird, Melvin R., Sr.

Campaign material

Cook, Grace, 1938-1939

Connor, Mary B., Estate

Condolences regarding W.D. Connor Sr., 1944-1945

Deeds

Dunhams, 1938-1939

Laird estate, 1935

Laird family, 1939-1944

Legislative Memorial, 1946

Miscellaneous correspondence, 1917-1944

Miscellaneous financial records, 1941-1945

Pressley, John, 1938-1940

Texada Island, 1941

Williams & Williams, 1937

Series: Wisconsin Legislative Papers

General Correspondence, 1947-1952

A-H

H (continued)-R

R (continued)-Z

Subject Files

State Budget, Joint Interim Committee, 1946

Civil Defense, 1951

Comptroller

Disability Benefit Bill, 1948-1949

Educational System, Commission on the Improvement of, 1947-1951

Labor and Management, 1947-1948

Legislative Council, 1951

Public Service Commission, 1950-1951

Republican Party, 1950

Tax Data, 1950

Taxation Committee, 1950

Veterans

Housing, 1949

Higher Education

Wisconsin Council of Agriculture Co-op

Series: Congressional Papers

Subseries: Legislative Files

Laird Voting Record

Official House reports, 1953-1968

Library of Congress reports, 1953-1968

Laird Bills

Bills list, 1953-1965, 1967

1953-1954

Drafted and not introduced, 1954-1955

H.J. Res. 479, Allegiance to Flag Amendment

H.R. 2828, Legislative History

H.R. 2828 and 7125, Menominee Tribe

H.R. 7952, Support Price

H.R. 8769, Agricultural Act (1949) Amendment

H.R. 8795, Milk Marketing Bill

H.R. 9821, Termination Bill

S. 1477, Relief of Gerhard Nicholas

1955-1956

H.R.119, Trade barrier

H.R.124, Milk Parity

H.R. 675, School Lunch Milk

H.R. 2415, Crop Acreage

H.R. 2610, Whey Bill

H.R. 3254, Old Age Commission

H.R. 3906, Water Pollution Bill

H.R. 5957, Menominee Law Enforcement

H.R. 5992, Menominee Extension

H.R. 6218, Menominee Termination Studies

H.R. 6504, Soldier Homes

H.R. 8373, School Milk and Brucellosis

H.R. 8584, Agricultural Act Amendment

H.R. 8742, Watershed Protection Act Amendment

H.R. 9280, Menominees (Reuss Bill)

H.R. 9974, Menominee Timber

H.R. 10033, Upper Fox River

H.R. 10794, Secretary of Agriculture annual report

H.R. 11034, Forestry

1957-1958

Laird Bills Index

H.J. Res. 56, June as National Dairy Month

H.R. 57, Milk Sanitation

H.R. 296, School Milk Program

H.R. 329, Creation of Fiscal Organization Committee

H.R. 742, Upper Fox River

H.R. 743, Domestic Trade Barriers-Milk

H.R. 1166, Amendment to Aid to State or Territorial Homes

H.R. 1269, Self-Help Dairy Stabilization

H.R. 4578, Parity Prices for Milk

H.R. 5302, Stockbridge-Munsee Indians

H.R. 5939, Restrictions on Imported Hardwood

H.R. 6322, Menominee-Miscellaneous statements

H.R. 6322, Menominee Termination

H.R. 7136, Tax Relief for Small Businesses

H.R. 7725, Shizuko Sese Sheveland

H.R. 8602, Amendment to Social Security Act

H.R. 8603, Amendment to Chapter 223 Title 18-FBI

H.R. 8815, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code

Self Help Plan Legislation

H.R. 9306, Mink Pelts

H.R. 9599, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code regarding tuition

H.R. 9676, Postal Employees Salary Increase

H.R. 9677, Increased Use of Agricultural Products in Industry

H.R. 9678, Amendment to Labor Management Relations Act

H.R. 9679, Rules of Interpretation

H.R. 9680, Establishing Milk Market Price

H.R. 9788, Augusted, Elizabeth

H.R. 10060, Dairy Self-Help Program

H.R. 12080, Financial Assistance to States

1959-1960

“Future Bills”

Proposed Dairy Bill

H.J. Res. 88, June is Dairy Month

H.R. 60, Fiscal Organization Study

H.R. 1139, Federal Acts on State Laws

H.R. 1268, Income Tax Credit for Tuition

H.R. 1270, Tax Relief for Small Businesses

H.R. 1271, Parity Prices for Milk

H.R. 1272, Reporting of Wages regarding S[ocial] S[ecurity]

H.R. 3843, Milk Sanitation

H.R. 5260, Hazardous Substances Labeling Bill

H.R. 5413, Special Milk Program

H.R. 5931, Outpatient Care for Native American veterans

H.R. 6175, Potatoes and Plant Patent Bill

H.R. 6527, Jesus Christ Postage Stamp

H.R. 7788, Wildlife Restoration

H.R. 8468, Health-Cancer and Heart disease

H.R. 10450, Menominee Termination Costs

H.R. 10451, Menominee Stamp Tax Exemption

H.R. 11476, Menominee-Termination Reimbursement

H.R. 11722, ASC County Office

H.R. 11813, Menominee Termination Extension

H.R. 11955, Drug Labeling

H.R. 12672, Expense Reporting Act, 1960

1961-1962

H.Con. Res. 4, Trade

H.R. 1558, Relief for George Lee

H.R. 1140, Clarification of Authority regarding Labor

H.R. 994, Parity Prices for Milk

H.J. Res. 731, Equal Opportunity requirements-FCC

H.Con. Res. 375, Tariffs

H.R. 4130, Menominee Termination Extension

H.R. 3534, Stockbridge-Munsee-Land Transfer

H.R. 2061, Special Milk Program

H.R. 1809, Returning Portion Federal Tax to States

H.R. 1808, Tax Relief for Small Businesses

H.R. 9275, Stockbridge-Munsee-Submarginal Lands

H.R. 10973, Amendment to anti-trust laws regarding televised Football

H.R. 8735, Highways

H.R. 5874, Social Security

H.R. 4444, Menominee Termination Act

1963-1964

H.R. 50, Fiscal Organization Study

H.R. 50, Fiscal Organization Study

H.R. 473, Committee to Investigate Federal Research

H.R. 630, Tuition fees

H.R. 631, Returning portion of tax to states

H.R. 999, Stockbridge Indians

H.R. 1100, I System Highway

H.R. 1524, Neuwirth

H.R. 4451, Agricultural products for industrial use

H.R. 6896, Dairy Self-Help Bill

H.R. 7498, Fishing tackle

H.R. 7935

H.R. 8193, Veterans pensions

H.R. 8420, Patent Fee Bill

H.R. 8917, Amendment to Public Service Act

H.R. 9456, Kennedy Memorial Commission

H.R. 10010

H.R. 10123, Meat importation tariffs

H.R. 12635, National Forests land payments

1965-1966

Proposed bills

H.J. Res. 209, Reapportionment

H.J. Res. 715

H.R. 1562, Returning portion of state taxes

H.R. 1561, Tuition fees

H.R. 1560, Christmas stamp

H.R. 1559, Self-Help Dairy Bill

H.R. 91, Committee to Study Fiscal Organization of Congress

H.J. Res. 1184

H.R. 1562

H.R. 5577, Businesses treated as corporations

H.R. 5577, Marshfield Clinic

H.R. 4356, Health insurance

H.R. 3811, Protection of SS benefits after marriage

H.R. 2059, National Milk Sanitation Act

H.R. 2057

H.R. 2056, National Forest land payments

H.R. 1610, Tadao Nagashima

H.R. 10958, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code

H.R. 8034

H.R. 8034, H.E.W. Grants to Menominee Indians

H.R. 7565, Stockbridge-Munsee land donations

H.R. 16845

H.R. 15286

H.R. 12863

H.R. 12330

H.R. 11480, Survey of Wolf River

H.R. 12296, Tadao Nagashima

H.R. 16963, National Defense Education Act

1967-1968

H.R. 33, Amendment to Title II, Social Security Act

H.J. Res. 3, Establishment of Commission on National Defense

H.R. 65, Committee to Study Fiscal Organization of Congress

H.R. 138, Export Control Act

H. Con. Res. 210, East-West Trade Policy

H.J. Res. 668, U.S. World Food Study

H.J. Res. 761, Neighborhood Action Crusade

H.J. Res. 730, National School Safety Patrol Week

H.R. 773, Dairy Self-Help

H.R. 774, National Forest land payments

H.R. 775, Amendment to National Defense Education

H.R. 776, Revision of Federal Election Laws

H.R. 777, Amendment to Public Health Service Act

H.R. 778, Amendment to Public Health Service Act

H.R. 779, Amendment to Title 18 of U.S. Code

H.R. 780, Postmaster General Appointments

H.R. 781, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code of 1954

H.R. 782, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code of 1954

H.R. 783, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code of 1954

H.R. 784, Return of state taxes

H.R. 785, Importation of milk regulations

H.R. 787, Amendment to definition of corporations

H.R. 788, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code of 1954

H.R. 789, Stockbridge-Munsee land donations

H.R. 790, Amendment to Title 38 of U.S. Code

H.R. 791, WWI pensions

H.R. 848, Impact of East-West trade

H.R. 921, Conference on Aging

H.R. 3863

H.R. 4632, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code

H.R. 5450, Revenue sharing

H.R. 5450, Revenue sharing (continued)

H.R. 6276, Amendment to Title II of Social Security Act

H.R. 6373, Wolf River lands

H.R. 7021, Dairy imports

Federal Assistance

H.R. 7175, Correspondence

H.R. 7175, Amendment to mink tariff schedules

H.R. 8537, Dairy Imports

H.R. 8868, National Home Owner Foundation

H.R. 8773, Consent for Great Lakes Basin Compact

H.R. 10120, Wronski, Stanley

H.R. 10672, Prohibition of electronic surveillance

H.R. 11095, Dairy Imports

H.R. 11266, Amendment to Sherman Act

H.R. 11267, Amendment to Title 18 U.S. Code

H.R. 11268, Prohibition of criminal investment

H.R. 11407, Amendment to Consolidated Farmers Home Act

H.R. 11645, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code

H.R. 12410, GI Bill of Rights

H.R. 13030, Amendment to Title 18 of U.S. Code

H.R. 13031, Amendment Title 18 of U.S. Code

H.R. 13124, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

H.R. 14242, Amendment to Internal Revenue Code

H.R. 17915, Report

Appropriations Committee files

General

1957

1958-1959

1959-1969

Agriculture

Agricultural Dairy Research Lab, 1962

Forest Products, 1963

Milk Research, 1960

Atomic Energy Commission, Hanford, 1962

Budget, 1960

Commerce Dept.-Fire Technology Activities, 1963

Defense

General, 1958-1967, 1968

Air Force, 1959-1960

Bong Air Force Base-Disposal, 1959

Chinese Olympic Participation

Military construction, 1959-1962

Trips, 1959-1961

Guatanamo Bay Naval Base

Education

1958-1968

1967

Health, 1958-1968

Dental Health Center, 1963

HEW

General, 1957-1964, 1968

Cooperative Research Program, 1961

Office of Education, 1968

World Health Assembly, 1968

H.R. 8002, 1957

Labor, 1962-1968

Welfare, 1958-1968

General legislation

Form letter book, 1966-1967

Agriculture Committee

General, 1957-1969

Dairy legislation, 1955-1963

Farm bills, 1959-1964

Farm Program proposals, 1955, 1957

Feed Grains Bill, 1961

Kieffer correspondence, 1963-1966

Meat inspection, 1968

Mexican farm labor, 1961, 1963

Potato labeling bill

National Farmers Organization, 1962-1964

Rural Electric Association, 1964-1967

Armed Services Committee

1957-1967

1968-1969

Military Pay Bill, HR 5555, 1963

Banking and Currency Committee

General, 1957-1968

Housing legislation, 1962

Civil Service Committee, 1957-1969

District of Columbia Committee, 1957, 1961-1968

Education Committee

General, 1957, 1961-1968

Academic facilities, H.R. 8900, 1962

College facilities, H.R. 6143, 1963

Delaney Bill (UNESCO), 1962

Federal Aid to Education, 1961

Library services, H.R. 4879, 1963

Loan program, H.R. 13247, 1958

Obscene material, H.R. 470, 1963

Private/Parochial school aid, 1961

Technical assistance, H.R. 10396, 1962

Vocational education, H.R. 4955, 1963

Foreign Affairs Committee

General, 1957, 1961-1969

Cuba, 1961-1963

Foreign aid, 1965-1968

Test Ban Treaty, 1963

Vietnam, 1965-1969

Government Operations Committee, 1957, 1961-1969

Interior and Insular Affairs Committee

General

1957, 1961-1962

1963-1969

Ice Age National Park, 1964

Land and Water Conservation, H.R. 3846, 1964

Tidelands oil, 1953

Wild Rivers, 1964-1966

Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee

General, 1957, 1961-1969

Animal cruelty, 1966

Automobile safety, 1966

Bulk commodity rates, 1963

Health Professionals Education Assistance, H.R. 12, 1963

Quality stabilization, 1962-1964

Railroad dispute, 1963

Railroads, 1966

Transportation, H.R. 9903, 1964

Wood labeling, 1959, 1961-1962

Joint Economic Committee, Fiscal Policy Subcommittee, 1968

Judiciary Committee

General

1957, 1961-1964

1965-1969

Civil Rights

General, 1963-1964

H.R. 2516, 1968

Firearms, 1967-1968

Four Year Term, 1966

Hart Bill, S. 2568, 1966

Prayer in Schools, 1963, 1964

Riots, 1967

Sunnyside Seed Farms claim, 1964

Labor Committee

General, 1957, 1961-1968

Area redevelopment, 1963

Common Situs picketing

H.R. 10027, 1966

H.R. 100, 1967

Economic Opportunity Act amendments, 1967

Equal pay, 1963

Labor practices, 1963

Labor Reform Bill, S. 3974, 1958

Labor reform, 1959

Minimum Wage, 1961

Poverty, 1964

Taft-Hartley repeal, 1965-1966

Youth Employment Bill, 1963

Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, 1961-1962, 1964-1968

Miscellaneous legislation

1961-1964

1965-1969

Post Office Committee

General, 1959, 1961-1969

Fourth-Class mail, H.R. 12367, 1966

Postal pay, 1962

Postal reclassification, H.R. 7, H.R. 4897, 1967

Public Works Committee

General, 1957, 1961-1968

Eau Claire River project, 1961, 1962

Rules Committee, 1961-1964, 1967, 1968

Science and Astronautics Committee, 1963, 1964, 1968

Small Business Committee, 1962-1965, 1968-1969

Un-American Affairs Committee, 1957, 1961-1968

Veterans Affairs Committee

General, 1957, 1961-1969

Veterans life insurance, S. 3289, H.R. 11268, 1962

Veterans pensions, H.R. 2332, 1964

Veterans Readjustment Act, 1966

Ways and Means Committee

General

1957, 1961-1967

1968-1969

Capital Gains, H.R. 10, 1962

Chiropractors, 1967

Cooperatives (Taxation), 1957, 1961-1966

Excise taxes, 1957, 1961-1965

Firearms, 1964-1966

Industry Coordinating Committee, H.R. 8282, 1965-1966

Keogh-Jenkins Bill, H.R. 10, 1962

Medicare, 1961-1968

Reciprocal trade, 1961, 1962

Social Security

1957, 1961-1967

1967-1969

Tariffs, 1957, 1964, 1965

Taxes

Capital Gains (Timber), 1963

Credit on withholding, 1966

Deductions, 1963

Dividends, 1961, 1962

Exemptions, 1967

General, 1961, 1968

Highways, 1961

Income taxes, 1957

Interest on Income Taxes, H.R. 12330, 1966, 1967

Increased taxes, 1967

Negative Income Tax, 1968

Tax revision, 1963-1964

Savings and Loan, 1961

Travel tax, H.R. 16241, 1968

Unemployment tax, H.R. 8282, 1966

Subseries: Speeches and writings

Articles and brief writings, 1958-1968

Books

Conservative Papers

A House Divided

General, 1962

Clippings

Correspondence

Republican Papers

Publicity, 1968

Reviews, 1968

Columns for newspapers

1965-1966

1967-1968

Film of “Your Washington Office Report”

1955

Federal Budget, 1955 January 23
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird explains Eisenhower's proposed 1956 budget and summarizes the issues associated with it.

Rep. Zablocki, Formosa, 1955 February 13
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Clement Zablocki about the situation in Formosa.

Rep. Johnson, Dairy industry problems, 1955 February 20
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Lester Johnson with whom he serves on the House Agricultural Committee. They talk about issues faced by the dairy industry.

Rep. Byrnes, Tax issues, 1955 March 6
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and John Byrnes discuss tax issues and the Federal Deficit.

Rep. O'Konski, Military pay bill, 1955 March 27
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Alvin O'Konski of the 10th District, about the Military Pay Bill. O'Konski says the military does not keep the best men because the pay is low. The bill is designed to attract good men.

Morton, Thruston, Taiwan, China and the Soviet Union, circa 1955
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 165 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Interview with Thruston Morton on a variety of foreign affairs issues: Taiwan and the law that allows the U.S. to defend it if necessary; the implications of Khrushchev's fall from power in the Soviet Union; the chance of a popular uprising in Communist China. States that Taiwan has no capability to attack China.

Defense spending and the Air Force, circa 1955
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 200 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about increased spending to improve the Air Force under President Eisenhower. Includes footage of numerous Air Force planes while Laird explains the names, cost, and capabilities of each plane. Says that our Air Force is the strongest in the world and our best possible defense protection.

Federal budget, fiscal year 1956, circa 1955
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird explains the breakdown for each Federal Budget dollar for the fiscal year of 1956.

Rep. Davis, Defense Dept. budget, circa 1955
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 175 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Interviews Glenn Davis (2nd District, Wisconsin) on the Defense Dept. budget. States that Eisenhower's recommendations with probably be upheld, with an emphasis on improving air and naval forces.

Rep. Smith, Treaties and United States law, circa 1955
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 190 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Interviews Lawrence Smith (1st District, Wisconsin) on the treaties and the Constitution. Smith believes that treaties should never affect internal United States law.

Sec. of Treasury Humphrey, Economy, circa 1955
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 245 feet (6 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Interview with Secretary of Treasury Humphrey on issues related to the economy. Balancing the budget is still a major goal, but economic stability is the key. Eisenhower Administration does not want to injure the economy by reducing government spending too quickly.

Taiwan and the draft, circa 1955
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 190 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Discusses issues raised in the 84th Congress including the creation of a defense line in Formosa (Taiwan) and a four year extension of the Selective Service Act. Laird says that the extension is a positive step, and also discusses relief for military dependents and the GI Bill.

1961

Girl Scouts from the district, 1961 June 28
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Girl Scouts from Wisconsin visiting Washington, D.C.

Rep. Griffin, Taft-Hartley repeal, 1961 August 29
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Robert Griffin from the Labor and Education Committee of the House of Representatives discuss Griffin's interest in repealing 14b of the Taft-Hartley Act. Griffin states suggestions for amendments to help insure that certain worker civil rights are protected and unions are not able to collect dues for “political purposes.”

Coin shortage bill, circa 1961
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 175 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Iola, Wisconsin coin dealer Chester Crowsey discuss the negative effects a new federal bill would have on the coin-collecting enterprise.

Foreign aid reduction, circa 1961
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 60 feet (2 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that the proposed reduction in foreign aid is not enough of a reduction.

Laos coalition government, circa 1961
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 60 feet (2 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that the forced coalition government in Laos led to a Communist takeover of the country.

Space research with Soviet Union, circa 1961
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 75 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird warns against a joint space research program between the U.S. and USSR.

Defense contracting, circa 1961
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 75 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird suggests opening more defense contracts to competitive bidding as a means of saving defense procurement money.

Total tax deduction for charities, circa 1961
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks against Kennedy's refusal to allow total tax deduction on all funds contributed to churches, missionaries, and charities.

1962

88th Congress agenda, 1962 January 16
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks about the important concerns for the next Congressional year, including national security, a large military defense, and strong domestic spending.

Milk Order 30 and dairy issues, 1962 January 22
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with a member of the Pure Milks Cooperative while he is in Washington, D.C, regarding the Department of Agriculture's Federal Milk Order #30. Both he and Laird assert that a proposed amendment to Federal Order #30 would negatively affect Wisconsin dairy farmers.

Laird reelection, circa 1962
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 40 feet (1 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: A member of Pure Milks Cooperative speaks on behalf of Mel Laird as he seeks re-election.

Ribicoff, Abraham, Vocational rehabilitation, 1962 January 30
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Secretary Ribicoff of the Health, Education and Welfare Committee about his support for vocational guidance and rehabilitation offered to welfare recipients over the Newberg approach.

Goldberg, Arthur, Job training, 1962 February 2
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Secretary Goldberg speaks about the workforce's need for higher-skilled workers and better job training.

Pure Milk Products Cooperative, 1962 February 6
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with board members from the Pure Milks Cooperative about dairy farmers' need for a milk price support program.

Menominee County and Native American issues, 1962 February 24
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with the Chairman of Menomonee County and the President of Menominee Indian Corporation while they are in Washington seeking financial aid for educational programs for Menominee Indian children. Up until recently they received federal aid.

Dairy price support legislation, 1962 February 27
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird encourages Wisconsin farmers and other state residents to examine the proposed Dairy Support Law that would give the Secretary of Agriculture authority to exempt production controls.

Contributions to international organizations, 1962 March 3
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says that the House Appropriations Committee is examining United States monetary contributions to the international organizations. Laird says U.S. contributions should be decided based on the economic wealth of the country involved.

Rep. Van Pelt, Wisconsin astronauts, 1962 March 10
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Van Pelt about Wisconsin military astronaut volunteers.

Haberman, George, Wisconsin AFL-CIO and worker benefits, 1962 March 20
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with George Haberman about an amendment to the Davis-Bacon Act to provide better benefits to workers.

Ford, Gerald, B70 bomber bill and defense issues, 1962 March 20
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Gerald Ford, who criticizes the House Armed Services Committee for invading the President's right to decide. Also says that President Kennedy should support Secretary McNamara.

State and Federal government conflicts, 1962 April 3
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks about conflicts between state and federal governments, specifically the usurpation by the U.S. Congress.

Special tours in Washington, 1962 April 7
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird tells Wisconsin people to let his office know if they are coming to Washington and that they should set up special tours.

Rep. Lipscomb, Trading with the Soviet Bloc, 1962 April 24
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 200 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Interview with Lipscomb on the issue of export controls and trading with Soviet bloc countries, specifically mentioning mining equipment. Also criticizes Secretary of Agriculture Freeman's lax enforcement of food product export restrictions. Your Washington Office Report

Postal legislation, 1962 April 28
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Melvin Lemke, President of the Wisconsin Rural Mail Carrier Association about impending postal legislation.

Rep. Schadeberg, HUAC, 1962 April 28
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Schadeberg responds to criticism of the committee on which he serves.

Rep. Lipscomb, Trading with communists, 1962 May 7
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Rep. Lipscomb, California, shares his opinion that all trade with Communist countries should be terminated. Lipscomb responds to Assistant Secretary of State George Bahl who wants to maintain some level of trade with Communist countries.

Rep. Rhodes, Federal budget, 1962 May 11
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Congressman John Rhodes about his research projecting federal costs through 1970. Rhodes disagrees with President Kennedy's federal financing.

Interest deductions and nuclear testing, 1962 May 19
Scope and Content Note: In response to his constituents' expressing concern, Laird discusses his position versus JFK regarding withholding taxes on interest and dividends to individuals and initiating nuclear tests in the Pacific. Laird disagrees with the President regarding withholding taxes, but agrees with him regarding the nuclear tests.

Negative
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 

Positive
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 

Rep. Goodell, Manpower Training Act, 1962 May 26
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Congressman Goodell, the author of the Manpower Training Act, which Laird supported. They speak about what effect the Act will have on unemployed people.

Rep. McGregor, Communist aggression in Laos, 1962 June 2
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Congressman Clark of Minnesota discusses Communist violations of the 1961 agreement regarding Laos.

Republican policy, 1962 June 5
Scope and Content Note: Laird worked on drafting a statement of Republican policy and principle that was chosen as an official statement in the 1962 campaign.

Negative
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 

Positive
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 

Rep. Murray, Issues facing the congress, 1962 June 9
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Rep. Hyde Murray, of the House Agricultural Committee, foresees a stormy upcoming congressional year.

Rep. Alger, Raising the national debt limit, 1962 July 2
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Congressman Bruce Alger, Texas, who serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. Alger says it is not necessary to raise the national debt limit.

“Rubber Stamp Congress,” 1962 October 25
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird expresses his frustration with President Kennedy's “rubber stamp congress.”

1963

88th Congress 2nd session agenda, 1963 February 11
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird summarizes the issues of the 88th Congress

Rep. Byrnes, Tax and finance issues, 1963 February 12
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Rep. John Byrnes of the House Ways and Means Committee about the national fiscal dilemma that has resulted from placing a tax burden on private enterprise.

Department of Labor 50th Anniversary, short version, 1963 March 13
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 100 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird invites citizens to attend the U.S. Department of Labor's 50th Anniversary celebration being held in Wausau.

Department of Labor 50th Anniversary, long version, 1963 March 13
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird announces that he will hold a special reception in Wausau for the Department of Labor's 50th Anniversary. Laird will host Secretary of Labor Willard Wirtz.

Trade with communist nations, 1963 April 10
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird asserts that any trade with Communist countries, however liberal they may be, fundamentally supports the Soviet Union.

Rep. Van Pelt, Merchant marine academies, 1963 July 23
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Congressman William K. Van Pelt about merchant marine fishery academies in the state of Wisconsin.

Rep. Zablocki, Vietnam and the Diem assassination (not aired), 1963 November 20
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 210 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Rep. Clem Zablocki (4th District, Wisconsin) is interviewed about the situation in Vietnam and the recent Diem assassination. Calls it a "military junta" and says social reforms and democracy are in doubt. Also mentions domino theory and Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge's impending report on the situation. (This program never aired because of the Kennedy assassination).

Rep. Zablocki, Vietnam after Diem, 1963 December 20
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet, (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Zablocki discuss the future of the military junta in South Vietnam after the assassination of the country's president.

Mass transit bill, circa 1963
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 100 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird opposes mass transit commuter facilities being built across the U.S.

Farm organizations, circa 1963
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 100 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that there are not good prospects for legislation to support the implementation of a major farm organization in the 88th Congress.

UN Cuba fund, circa 1963
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 100 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird questions how the UN will fund Cuban agriculture without dipping into U.S. dollars.

Nuclear test-ban treaty, circa 1963
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks about the three safeguards he wants on a test-ban treaty.

1964

Wirtz, Willard, Secondary education, 1964 February 12
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Secretary of Labor Wirtz speaks about how secondary education ensures low unemployment rates among young adults.

Wirtz, Willard, Job re-training, 1964 February 12
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Secretary of Labor Wirtz about the on-the-job re-training program being re-enacted by the 88th Congress.

Assistant Secretary of Labor Esther Peterson, Consumer affairs, 1964 February 19
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Peterson, Assistant Secretary of Labor and LBJ's special advisor on consumer affairs. She summarizes the feedback received from consumers across the country.

State Conservationist Russell, Federal projects, 1964 March 13
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with State Conservationist Russell about a new federal project in Central Wisconsin called the Triruda Headwaters Project.

Poverty bill, 1964 March 18
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird is critical of Johnson's Poverty Bill because it does not address the needs of children, the elderly, and disabled.

Food Stamp Act of 1964, 1964 April 15
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks at length about the inefficiency and complexity of the 1964 Food Stamp Act that is being discussed in the Senate.

Changed program format, circa 1964
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 185 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird to change the format of his program-he will now include updates on a few different topics. He addresses the following events: the Republican Party's efforts to meet with people in preparation for the 1964 campaign, a meeting in Wausau to discuss Wisconsin agriculture, and Defense Secretary McNamara's choice to construct a $300 million aircraft carrier.

Rep. Poff, Prayer in public schools, circa 1964
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 175 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Congressman Richard Poff, of the House Judiciary Committee, about the likelihood of the House reviewing a Constitutional Amendment regarding prayer and the Bible in schools in the next year. Also mentions Civil Rights legislation in the Senate.

Vietnam and other issues, circa 1964
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 165 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Four short segments on the following issues: the Republican Congress; the 1964 Republican Party platform; weakened checks and balances in the federal government; and the situation in South Vietnam.

1965

Inception of 89th Congress, 1965 January 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird introduces the 89th Congress on its first session day. He notes changes in leadership such as his own new role as Chairman of the Republican Conference. He ends with a summary of his own stance on the Great Society and other issues.

President Johnson's State of the Union address, 1965 January 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks at length about his disagreements with the President's appropriations for foreign aid.

Threats to the two-party system, 1965 January 13
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks about the challenges to a strong two-party system in the 89th Congress since a majority of the Congress is from the President's party. Laird also notes his position on tax and Medicare legislation.

Ford, Gerald, Republican position, 1965 January 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Gerald Ford, the new House of Representatives Minority Leader, about how to broaden Republican support with the American people.

Wisconsin libraries, 1965 January 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with librarians from Central Wisconsin attending a conference in Washington. They talk about trends in school and public libraries and new legislation that would provide federal funds for school libraries.

Termination of Indian tribes, circa 1965 February
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with representatives of Menominee County, Menominee Indians, and others in Washington, D.C. about the federal government's termination of Indian tribes. Laird states that he will support the Appalachia Bill only if it will apply to Menominee Indians.

Amendments to Social Security Bill, 1965 February 24
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird summarizes five amendments to the Social Security bill that he would support. With these amendments every SS recipient receives a 7% increase, senior citizens can earn up to $3000/yr. without cutting benefits, and coverage for widows with children and re-married widows is changed.

Lecklam, Robert, American Legion State Commander, 1965 March 3
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with American Legion State Commander Robert Lecklam during an American Legion Conference in Washington. They talk about keeping veterans hospitals in Wisconsin and the Wisconsin American Legion headquarters in Milwaukee.

Negative
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 

Positive
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4minutes) 

McCarrier, Mary, Voice of Democracy winner, 1965 March 10
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Mary McCarrier who is from Wausau, Wisconsin.

Voting rights legislation, 1965 March 24
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that he fully supports voting rights legislation, but he disagrees with some of the details of the administration's proposals.

Poverty on the Menomonee Reservation, 1965 March 31
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about the poverty-stricken Menominee Reservation and calls on the federal government to take responsibility for the neglect. He also laments that recent federal legislation aimed at improving conditions for the poor have not included Menominee residents.

Lee, Sylvia, Alice in Dairyland, 1965 April 5
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Alice in Dairyland, Sylvia Lee, from Colfax, Wisconsin, while she is in Washington, D.C. promoting Wisconsin dairy products.

Negative
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 

Positive
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, approx.? feet (4 minutes) 

Medicare legislation, Burns Bill, 1965 April 14
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird explains why he supports the Burns bill instead of the Mills bill for the Medicare.

Foreign aid and the gold supply, 1965 April 19
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says that the foreign aid program badly needs to be re-examined because recipients have gotten gold and thereby threatened the stability of the U.S. dollar.

4H representative Sharon Duquaine, 1965 April 28
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Sharon Duquain, a member of the Menominee Indian tribe, attending the National 4H Conference.

Rep. Byrnes, Excise tax reduction, 1965 May 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and John Byrnes discuss the recent reduction of excise taxes.

Rep. Zablocki, Vietnam policy, 1965 May 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Clement Zablocki about the Vietnam War. Zablocki states the importance of bipartisan support for American policies.

World Health Assembly in Geneva, 1965 May 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks from Geneva while attending the World Health Assembly as one of two LBJ appointees. He talks about progress of the WHO in reducing communicable disease.

Alberton, James, UW-Stevens Point, 1965 May 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with James Albertson, president of Wisconsin State University-Stevens Point, about increased enrollment and prospects for expansion.

Inflation and cost of living, 1965 June 9
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that current high prices on food and other items point to inflation and the increased cost of living.

Housing legislation, 1965 May 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird cites problems with Johnson's housing and urban development policies. He states that rent supplements to low-income families would be costly and contends they discourage home ownership.

Crowe, Dennis, Science award, 1965 June 24
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird interviews a high school graduate who received a NASA award to pursue research on a cat disease, the cure for which could be useful to Wisconsin farmers.

Towne, Adrian, Vocational rehabilitation, 1965 June 29
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Towne, state director of vocational education, about a project in Wood County. A Laird amendment made the project possible.

Freeman farm bill, 1965 July 21
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 175 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks against the Freedom Farm Bill and in support of Wisconsin farmers. Discusses negative effects of the bill and the farm cost/price squeeze.

Christmas stamps, Vietnam, 1965 July 25
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 165 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird commends the Post Office for choosing a Christian stamp and clarifies his position on the war in Vietnam. He deplores the drift into a massive land war and urges the use of a naval blockade.

President Johnson's legislation, 1965 July 28
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird calls for a study of all legislation passed and adequate space for checks and balances within the legislative process.

Rep. Davis, Runaway spending, 1965 August 2
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Glenn Davis discuss the administration's tendency to overspend.

Dangers of big government, 1965 August 10
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that individual freedoms are at risk from big government.

Re-evaluation of government spending, 1965 August 10
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that defense and non-defense spending must be re-evaluated and that first priority must be given to the war.

Regional Water Pollution Laboratory, 1965 August 18
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Wisconsin State University-Stevens Point has been chosen as the site for the Regional Water Pollution Laboratory. Laird says that the research will benefit Wisconsin tourism and industry.

United Nations Article 19, 1965 August 25
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says that the UN's decision to abandon Article 19 of its charter will reduce its effectiveness. Article 19 states that if member nations fail to pay dues, they lose their vote in the General Assembly.

Ford, Gerald and Republicans' Vietnam policy, 1965 September 7
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (3.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Gerald Ford, House Minority Leader, discuss Republican objections to the Administration's handling of the Vietnam War. Ford encourages viewers to read the “Republican White Paper” by House Republicans on the history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Foreign aid bill, trade with communist countries, 1965 September 15
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that the U.S. should encourage other democratic countries to not trade with North Vietnam.

Shriver, Sargent, Peace Corps and poverty programs, 1965 September 15
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Shriver about financing the War on Poverty and Job Corps programs.

Agricultural legislation, 1965 September 29
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says that the Department of Agriculture's decision to remove cheese from the school lunch program will aggravate the already difficult situation faced by Wisconsin dairy farmers. Laird wants to reverse the decision.

Vocational rehabilitation, 1965 October 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird explains the need for the Health, Welfare, and Education Appropriations Committee's Vocational Rehabilitation program, which aims to employ the handicapped. Laird's amendment to this program was accepted. Private groups can now contribute to the program and handicapped people can be encouraged to find work in the private sector.

89th Congress, Issues, 1965 October 12
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird notes that there is a belief among both Republicans and Democrats that Congress has not done a proper job of analyzing and amending Executive Branch proposals.

Education policy, 1965 October 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Francis Keppel, Commissioner of Education, about how policy is implemented across the United States. Keppel will speak at the Laird Youth Leadership Workshop.

Youth Leadership Workshop, 1965 October 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 75 feet (2 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird does a short segment with Keppel about the Laird Youth Leadership Workshop.

Vocational education, 1965 October 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 75 feet (2 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Keppel asserts that community colleges and technical programs are changing traditional notions of higher education.

Laird's office hours, Vietnam, poverty, 1965 October 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird announces his office hours when he will meet with persons from the district. He additionally states his positions regarding federal funding of the Vietnam War, the war on poverty, and Great Society programs.

Farm district representation decline, circa 1965
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks about the decline in congressional representation from farm districts.

Great Society debt problems, circa 1965
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird expresses concern about future inability to deal with the debt incurred by Great Society.

1966

Extending congressional terms, 1966 January 26
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that he will not endorse President Johnson's proposal to extend House of Representative's terms from two to four years. He contends that re-electing representatives at the same time of presidential elections would distract from the proper debate and discussion of issues.

Unemployment compensation, 1965 January 26
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says that he is opposed to federalizing unemployment compensation for workers because it would undermine an existing Wisconsin “experience-rating” system that gives incentive to businesses that provide steady employment.

Teacher Corps, State involvement, 1966 March 2
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird discusses his amendments to the Higher Education Act that established a Federal Teachers' Corps. Laird's amendments call for more state involvement.

Rep. Goodell, Employment programs, 1966 March 9
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet, (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Charles Goodell (NY) about his support for “Crusade for Opportunity” programs. Those programs would enlist private industry to employ those without jobs.

Inflation, 1966 March 9
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about how inflation is hurting Americans.

Menominee study committee, 1966 March 16
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white. sound, 170 feet (4 min) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Niki Smith from the Menominee Indian Study Committee while she is in Washington, D.C. to testify before the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee.

Future Homemakers of America conference, 1966 March 30
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird pays tribute to the Future Homemakers of America, an organization comprised of high school students studying home economics. FHA is holding a national conference in Washington.

Pure Milk Products Cooperative and dairy issues, 1966 April 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with both the President and General Manager of the Pure Milks Cooperative, while they are in Washington, D.C. to testify before the Tariff Commission. They say that increasing quotas will depress prices and farm income.

Knowles, Robert, Highway issues, water pollution, 1966 April 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Knowles, majority leader of the Wisconsin Senate lists the important issues of the upcoming session: highway acceleration, highway safety, and water pollution.

Interest on tax withholding, 1966 May 11
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about his bill, which would allow people to collect interest on the money withheld by the federal government. Laird says this bill will reduce spending on non-essential domestic programs, thus reducing inflation.

Grieber, Clarence, Vocational education, 1966 May 11
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Clarence Greiber, Wisconsin director of Vocational and Adult Education, about their joint support for increased funding for vocational education in Central Wisconsin.

Wausau school patrol, 1966 May 12
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Wausau students visiting Washington, D.C.

Rep. Zablocki, Polish Millennium, 1966 May 25
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Zablocki who has been visiting Laird's district to celebrate the Polish Millennium. Laird and Zablocki discuss restrictions on the Church in Poland.

Recent dairy actions, 1966 June 1
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 175 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird responds to recent actions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which have negatively affected Wisconsin dairy farmers. The most recent of these is the institution of a price support to milk used in manufactured products and not to milk sold for direct consumption.

Tax increases and inflation, 1966 June 1
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird discusses the possibility of a tax increase this year, which may be necessary according to some economists. He argues that without spending cuts and a balanced budget the tax increase will not prevent inflation. Also says that spending on Vietnam may delay spending on domestic priorities.

Questionnaire responses, 1966 June 8
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white. sound, 170 feet (4 min) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird summarizes his constituents' responses to a recent questionnaire. Laird sought feedback on their positions on the war in Vietnam, extending minimum wage to farm labor, and the Administration's reducion of the school milk program.

Marathon County safety patrol, circa 1966
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 240 feet (6 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird meets with members of the Marathon County Safety Patrol while they are in Washington.

Recent Democratic attacks

“Distorted representations,” circa 1966
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 50 feet (1.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird defends Republicans against “distorted representations” by the senate majority leader on the issue of foreign policy. “Efforts at reasonable discussion have proved impossible.”

Attack on Rep. Ford, circa 1966
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 50 feet (1.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird asks whether critical discussions about the Vietnam War has been abandoned. He decries the vituperative attack on Minority Leader Gerald Ford.

Distorted position on Vietnam, circa 1966
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 50 feet (1.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says that pronouncements by the Democrats have distorted the Republican position on Vietnam. Republicans urge a better use of air power.

Republicans not motivated by partisanship, circa 1966
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 50 feet (1.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says that the stakes in Vietnam are too high for Republicans to be motivated by partisan advantage.

Reel cut-off, Gerald Ford, circa 1966

Reel cut-off, Senior issues, circa 1966

Ford, Gerald, Minority must be heard, circa 1966
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 145 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks with Minority Leader Gerald Ford about the role of the minority party in domestic and foreign policy. Film is incomplete and broken.

Rep. Lipscomb, Vietnam situation, circa 1966
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird interviews Lipscomb who has just returned from Vietnam. Lipscomb says it was a discouraging trip, and that morale is good although the recent troop escalation has created logistical problems. Discusses the quality of medical treatment and also says that Thailand is a good ally and base of operations. Film is partial and broken.

Wausau seniors conference, circa 1966
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 105 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird touts a conference on senior citizen issues to be held in Wausau. Among the topics to be discussed are the 1965 Social Security amendments. Film is partial and broken.

1967

Social Security and revenue sharing, 1967 January 3
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: First session, 90th Congress issues are discussed including Social Security legislation, revenue sharing, Vietnam, taxation poverty.

Orientation of new congressmen, 1967 January 3
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: First session, 90th Congress discussion of how new Republican members of Congress are oriented to the issues and encouraged to interact with senior members.

Rep. Schadeberg, Wolf River and Adam Clayton Powell, 1967 January 11
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Interview with Henry Schadeberg (1st District, Wisconsin) in which they discuss the Wolf River Wild River bill, and the censure of Adam Clayton Powell.

Rep. Steiger, Education and labor, 1967 January 11
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Interview with William Steiger (6th District, Wisconsin) covering education and labor issues. Discusses current education bills and compulsory arbitration legislation.

Rep. Thomson, Adam Clayton Powell and civil rights, 1967 February 1
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Interview with Vernon Thomson about the civil rights aspects of the Adam Clayton Powell case. Concludes that morality and legality, not race, were determining factors.

Budget and deficit spending, 1967 February 1
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird discusses ballooning federal deficit and decries the gimmicks used by LBJ.

Social Security and COLAs, 1967 February 7
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 175 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Social Security legislation in the 90th Congress, including cost of living adjustments and the regressive nature of the payroll tax.

20th World Health Assembly, 1967 February 10
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that he will soon attend the 20th World Health Assembly. He explains that this year's meeting will focus on fighting communicable disease, particularly smallpox and malaria.

Vietnam and the home front, 1967 February 22
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 175 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird calls Vietnam a dirty, thankless war, but says the troops do not complain. Discusses efforts in Wisconsin to show support.

Knowles, Warren, regarding business and tourism promotion, 1967 March 1
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Warren Knowles about the Upper Great Lakes convention and promoting business and tourism in Wisconsin.

Jones, Leroy, Taxes and county government, 1967 March 1
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Leroy Jonas Jr. discuss taxing by county government.

Wirtz, Willard, Increased minimum wage, 1967 March 1
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Wirtz from the Department of Labor discuss the increased minimum wage and negotiations between labor and management.

McDonald, Burt, VFW, 1967 March 6
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the needs of their membership.

Gardner, John, Vocational training, 1967 March 22
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and John Gardner, Secretary of the HEW, discuss the importance of vocational training in high school.

Rep. Thomson, Stop dairy imports, 1967 March 22
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 115 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and other congressmen endorse a bill to stop dairy imports. They contend that dairy imports take profits from Wisconsin farmers and that they do not meet U.S. health standards.

Dairy imports, Withholding action, 1967 April 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 190 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird stresses the need for Section 22 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act which would help Wisconsin farmers get a fair return on milk products.

National dairy marketing organization, 1967 April 11
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says his bill that would establish a national dairy marketing organization that would remove dairy pricing from government control and let farmers negotiate pricing.

Romney, George, Federal support for state and local government, 1967 April 19
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Michigan Governor George Romney discuss the importance of federal support for state and local government self-sufficiency.

Romney, George, Interview outtake, 1967 April 19
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 60 feet (2 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Outtake of the beginning of a Your Washington Office Report with George Romney. Romney calls Laird “Ford” and Laird stops the program.

Rep. Poff, Electronic surveillance of organized crime, 1967 April 25
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Richard Poff of Virginia and Laird argue that electronic surveillance should be made legitimate evidence in criminal cases, particularly those involving organized crime.

Rep. Latta, East-West trade, communist countries, 1967 April 25
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Delbert Latta of Ohio and Laird discuss how East/West trade could be used in anti-Communist efforts.

4H participants, 1967 April 25
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks with Ila May Wolff about her involvement with 4H.

Students from the district, 1967 May 11
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 150 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks with students who are from Wausau and Marathon County schools during their trip to Washington, D.C.

FDA research lab for Wisconsin, 1967 May 24
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird introduces the recently passed Labor Health Education Welfare Committee bill which will bring an FDA research lab to Wisconsin. It will also attract food and drug companies to Wisconsin.

Surgeon General and nursing shortage, 1967 May 31
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird interviews Dr. William Stewart about the changes in nursing that have resulted in the current shortage of practioners.

Crime and law enforcement, 1967 May 31
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about the need for strengthening both crime prevention and rehabilitation programs. He supports better wages and proper respect to police.

Rep. Byrnes, Limiting mink imports, 1967 June 12
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 190 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and John Byrnes discuss mink legislation. They seek to limit mink imports to keep the American market open for Wisconsin mink ranchers.

Social Security and deficit spending, 1967 June 12
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 195 feet (5.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird criticizes the Administration's deficit financing, contending that it has hurt Social Security recipients.

Defense appropriations for 1968, 1967 June 14
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 155 feet (3.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird discusses the Defense Appropriations Bill; the largest ever passed, as well as the Administration's financing of the Vietnam War.

Flag Day and flag desecration, 1967 June 28
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 205 feet (5.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird summarizes the 1967 Flag Day ceremony as a response to desecration of the flag. He also notes a new law that criminalizes such activity.

Older Americans Act, 1967 June 28
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 195 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird notes that Congress has extended the Older Americans Act of 1965. The purpose of the act is to set up an agency on aging in HEW.

4H, Clark and Wood counties, 1967 July 19
Scope and Content Note: 4-H Club leaders from Clark and Wood counties attending a leadership conference in Washington. Two of the girls talk about their experiences.

Positive
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 

Longer negative version
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 215 feet (6 minutes) 

Income tax increase, 1967 July 19
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 185 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird states that Congress is opposed to the impending tax increase and suggests that the non-defense budget be reduced.

Kareri, Tony, Chemotherapy research, 1967 July 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 195 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Dr. Tony Kareri of UW-Madison about his research on cancer treatment with chemotherapy.

Riots and looting legislation, 1967 July 27
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says the government has responded to widespread riots with new legislation.

Summer intern interviews, 1967 August 16
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with summer interns about their experiences.

Labor Day tribute, 1967 August 23
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 200 feet (6 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird praises working people.

4H group, Lincoln, Forest, and Florence counties, 1967 August 30
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 190 feet (6 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with delegates to a national 4H conference.

Congressional oversight is neglected, 1967 August 30
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 190 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about the need for oversight of federal programs to avoid inflation and insure stability.

McCracken, Paul, on the Budget, 1967 September 20
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with University of Michigan professor Paul McCracken, an advisor to LBJ's budget commission, about improving and restoring the congressional budget.

Graham, Dick, National Teacher Corps, 1967 September 20
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Graham, director of National Teacher Corps, about the program's goals.

Youth Leadership Workshop, 1967 September 20
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about his Youth Leadership Workshop at which selected students will discuss national issues with top leaders.

Gardner, John, Youth Leadership Workshop, 1967 October 3
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 145 feet (3 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Secretary Gardner of HEW, who will attend Education Day at the Laird Youth Leadership Workshop at Wisconsin State University-Stevens Point.

Youth Leadership Workshop, 1967 October 12
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird details the activities for his Youth Leadership Workshop Education Day at Wisconsin State University-Stevens Point.

Postal pay legislation, 1967 October 19
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird says he voted against the postal worker pay raise because he felt that it was a ploy to raise salaries of other federal employees rather than a legitimate attempt to increase postal worker wages.

Inflation and cost of living, 1967 November 2
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 195 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird discusses inflation and the rising cost of living to explain Congress' recent debate over spending cuts.

Rep. Belcher, Agricultural legislation, 1967 November 2
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 175 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird and Oklahoma Rep. Belcher discuss new agricultural legislation to help farm profits.

Rep. Byrnes, Tax increase, 1967 November 22
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 190 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with John Byrnes of the Ways and Means Appropriations Committee about the Administration's tax increase. They contend that the tax increase must be supplemented by a reduction in expenditures.

Tax increase, financing Vietnam, 1967 November 30
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird cites the tax increase as a result of the Administration's improper financing of the war.

Block grants and revenue sharing, 1967 December 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, 170 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird talks about the successes in the area of block grants and revenue sharing that have been achieved in the first session of the 90th Congress. Maximum state and local control with minimal federal strings have paid dividends, according to Laird.

Fitch, William, Senior citizens' issues, 1967 December 13
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 190 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Fitch, a special White House consultant on the elderly, about the role of the federal government.

1968

Rep. Ullman, Balancing the budget, 1968 January 3
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 190 feet (5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Ullman stresses the need for a balance of payments.

Appropriation priorities, 1968 January 5
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 185 feet (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird gives an overview of the pressing issues for which he would like to appropriate funds.

Ford, Gerald, Legislation in the new session, 1968 January 17
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 180 feet, (4 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks with Ford about Republican influence on legislation in the coming session.

Negotiated settlement in Vietnam, 1968 January 23
Physical Description: 16 mm negative, black/white, sound, approx. 190 feet (4.5 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird stresses the importance of designating short and long term objectives in South Vietnam.

Special report on political violence, 1968 April 21
Physical Description: 16 mm positive, color, sound, 300 feet (8 minutes) 
Scope and Content Note: Laird speaks about the need to restore order amidst the violence that has spread across the country.

Interviews

Paper format

1958, 1962-1965

1966-1967

1968

Recorded interviews

“Coffee in Washington,” 1953 June 6
Note: Formerly Disc 223A/3-5.

“It's Your Business,” 1958, Federal spending, inflation, and deficits

“Capitol Cloakroom,” 1965 March 3
Note: Mainly regarding Vietnam

Film of Face the Nation, 1966 March 13
Note: Regarding Vietnam

“Milwaukee Report,” 1966 May 20
Note: Regarding deficit spending, inflation, Vietnam, and 1964 Republican platform

Greenwich Republican Women's Club, 1966 June 13
Note: Regarding Republican Conference

“Financing Federalism: The Case for Revenue Sharing,” circa 1966 September

“Meet the Nation's Issues,” 1966 October 5
Note: re 1964, 1966, 1968 elections, Vietnam, and President Johnson

Film of Face the Nation, 1968 March 24
Note: Regarding 1968 Presidential campaign

“Press Conference, USA,” 1968 August 16
Note: Regarding Nixon campaign, George Wallace, Spiro Agnew, fiscal responsibility, Republican convention process

“Report to the People,” 1968 November 3
Note: Regarding election

Meet the Press, 1969 March 23
Note: Formerly Disc 223A/1.

Meet the Press, 1970 February 22
Note: Formerly Disc 223A/2.

Newsletters

1953-1962

1963-1968

Press releases

1952-1965

1966-1969

Questionnaires, Rough drafts and samples Scripts (for spots and “Your Washington Office Report”)

1953-1954, 1957

1958-1966

Campaign, 1966

1967-1968

Campaign, 1968

Undated

Speeches

Paper format

1945-1964

1965-1968

, Undated (pre-Congressional period)

Undated

Fragments, 1950

Congressional Record

Index

Extension of remarks

General, 1953-1959

Paul Corbin, 1961

General, 1961-1968

Background material

General, 1953-1955, 1959-1963

After dinner speeches and speech stories

Lincoln Day, 1959-1962

National Guard

Regional medical programs

Notes

During Wisconsin legislative career?

During Congressional career

Budget and taxes

Agriculture

Defense

Health

Politics

Recorded speeches

Speech by Laird, 1954 May 7, at Athens, Wisconsin
Note: Regarding 83rd Congress on St Lawrence Seaway, agriculture, taxes and other topics. Indochina is discussed at some length; Joseph McCarthy mentioned in passing.

Speeches by Laird and Joseph R. McCarthy at Athens, Wisconsin farm meeting
Note: Regarding accomplishments of 83rd Congress on dairy issues and Vietnam, 1954 May 8

Brief remarks, circa March 16, 1965, replying to LBJ voting rights address

Speech, 1965 October 6
Note: Regarding misrepresentation of Vietnam War by editorial writers

Speech extracts from Youth Leadership Conference, 1967

Speech to Wisconsin hospital employees, 1968 October 8
Note: Regarding various policy issues and medical lessons of Vietnam

Subseries: Subject files

A, General

1959-1966

1967-1969

AFL-CIO, 1963-1966

Aged-Wausau, 1966

Airlie Center, 1967-1968

Airlines, 1965, 1969

Alice in Dairyland

American Dairy Association, 1957, 1960, 1967

American Enterprise Institute, 1962-1965

Americans for Constitutional Action, 1962-1964

American Fund for Dental Education, 1968

American Legion, 1958-1965, 1968

American Medical Society, 1962-1964

American Paper and Pulp Association, 1958-1965

American Political Science Association, 1963-1965

Anderson, Howard, 1968-1969

Applications, 1961, 1969

Appointments, 1952, 1964-1965, 1968-1969

Army-Navy football tickets, 1963, 1966, 1968

B, General, 1959-1969

Background Berlin

Badger Breeders Cooperative, 1962-1965

Baker, Harry, 1968

Baroody correspondence, 1967-1969

Birch Society, 1961, 1965-1966

Boy Scouts of America, 1963-1967

Bubolz, Gordon

Bull Elephants

Buza, Fred

C, General, 1959-1969

Capitol Hill Club

Capitol Historical Society

Census

Population, 1960

Counties

Crew Leaders and Enumerators