WILLIAM PAUL LUTHER: An Inventory of His Congressional Records at the Minnesota Historical Society Finding aid prepared by Alex Kent. Minnesota Historical Society
St. Paul, MN.

Manuscripts Collection

 Finding aid encoded by Alex Kent, October 2009. Finding aid written in English OVERVIEW Minnesota Historical Society Luther, William Paul, 1945- Bill Luther congressional records. 1994-2003. Materials in English. Congressional records of William (Bill) Paul Luther, a member of the Minnesota Senate (1977-1994), and Democratic Farmer Labor party member of the U.S. House of Representatives (104th Congress-107th Congress), representing the 6th District in Minnesota. Included in the records are press releases, newsletters, schedules, statements, guest books, delegation letters, dear colleague letters, correspondence, bill, and issue files from his career in the U.S. House of Representatives. 6.0 cu. ft. (6 boxes). See Detailed Description for shelf locations. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

William (Bill) P. Luther was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (1975-1976), a member of the Minnesota Senate (1977-1994), and a Democratic-Farmer-Labor party member of the U.S. House of Representatives (104th Congress-107th Congress), representing Minnesota's 6th District: Anoka, Washington, and Dakota counties. His legislative concerns included budget, ethics, finances, taxes, energy, economic development, environment, and consumer protections. He was also highly involved with the Stillwater Bridge and levee projects.

Luther was the Assistant Majority Leader in the Minnesota Senate (1983-1994), and served as a Regional Whip during a significant portion of his career in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his tenure Luther served on the House Commerce Committee, the Committee on Science, the Committee on International Relations (105th Congress), the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection, and the Subcommittee on Finance and Hazardous Materials.

Luther was born (June 27, 1945) in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and his wife, Darlene Luther, also served in the U.S. House of Representatives. Luther also worked as a Prosecuting Attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals (1970-1971).

 SCOPE AND CONTENTS

Records (1994-2003) from Luther's career in the U.S. House of Representatives. Included are records related to press and media relations and activities, personal, political, and official records, and legislative records.

Press and media relations records consist of materials related to Luther's interaction and relationship with the press and media. They include photographs, newsletters, campaign literature, website information, news clippings regarding the Stillwater bridge and levee projects, press releases, letters to the editor, media advisories, and statements.

Personal, political, and official records consist of guest books and schedules of both Luther's Washington, D.C. office and his Minnesota office. Also included is correspondence with committees, ranking members, the White House, with/about district 6, about or related to various issues, and special invitations.

Legislative records relate to legislation sponsored or cosponsored by Luther, or legislation he was involved with. These consist of delegation letters, dear colleague letters, bill files, and issue files. Some of the bill files included are the bleacher safety act, the HELP Act, and bills related to the effort to save the Minnesota Twins from contraction. The bill files consist of copies of the bill, background information, bill mark up (edits), statements, testimonies, memorandums, and correspondence related to the bill.

Issue files contain background information and briefing memoranda, delegation letters, news clippings, and related correspondence. They cover such topics as the Stillwater Bridge and levee projects, the Wakota Bridge, highways, Great Lakes drilling, and Twin Cities Transitways.

ARRANGEMENT

These documents are organized into the following sections:

Press and Media Relations Personal/Political/Official Records Legislative Records ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Bill Luther Congressional Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 15,975.

 Processing Information:

Processed by: Alex Kent, October 2009.

Catalog ID number: 006971716

 RELATED MATERIALS

Darlene Luther legislative records are also available at the Minnesota Historical Society.

 CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Budget -- Law and legislation -- Minnesota. Ethics -- Law and legislation -- Minnesota. Transportation -- Law and legislation -- Minnesota. Organizations: Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Minnesota. Legislature. House of Representatives. United States. Congress. House. Committee on Commerce. Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection. United States. Congress. House. Committee on International Relations. Places: Anoka County (Minn.) Dakota County (Minn.) Stillwater (Minn.) Washington County (Minn.) Occupations: Legislators. DETAILED DESCRIPTION PRESS AND MEDIA RELATIONS 141.E.8.8F 1 Photographs, undated, 1997.

Includes photographs of Luther with President Bill Clinton, and several unidentified photographs, possibly Luther staff members at Washington, D.C.

 Newsletters, campaign literature, website information, undated, ca. 1999, 2001. Website print-outs, 2001.

Print-outs of Bill Luther's website. Includes print-outs of CD directory listings, a Readme.doc file, and screen shots of the website. The website was last updated in 2001, and the print-outs were made on January 13, 2010.

 Stillwater bridge and levee clippings, 1996-2001. 2 folders. Statements, 104th-105th Congress. Press releases and letters to the editor, media advisories, and statements, 1994-2002. 7 folders. PERSONAL/POLITICAL/OFFICIAL RECORDS 141.E.8.8F 1 Guest books, 1995-1997, 2000-2002. 2 folders. Schedule: Washington, D.C. weekly, 1995. Schedule: Washington, D.C., January 11, 1994-December 1995. 3 folders. Schedule, January-April 1996. 141.E.8.9B 2 Schedule, May 1996-June 30, 1998. 5 folders. Correspondence: Members, 1995-1998. 2 folders. General and miscellaneous, 1995-1998, 2000-2001. 3 folders. Miscellaneous district, 1995-1996. Issues, 1997-1998. 2 folders. White House, 1995-1998. International Relations Committee, 1996-1998. Science Committee, 1997, 1998. Scheduling memorandums, 1995. Ranking members, 1995-1998. Special invitations, 1995-1996. LEGISLATIVE RECORDS 141.E.8.10F 3 Delegation Letters: Signed and cosigned, 105th Congress-107th Congress. 6 folders. Pharmaceutical CEO letters, 1999. Dear colleagues, 1997-1999. 141.E.9.1B 4 Bill Files:

In alphabetical order by topic.

 H.R. 5164: Automobile tires/vehicle safety and Firestone tire recall, 1999-2000. 3 folders. Biennial Budgeting, 1997-2001. 4 folders. H.R. 836: Bleacher safety, 1999. H.R. 2684: Election Day registration, 1999-2002. HELP Act, 1995-1999. 2 folders. 141.E.9.2F 5 HELP Act, 1997-1999. H.R. 1542: The Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act, 2001. 2 folders. LPFM: Low power FM radio transmissions, 1999, 2000. H.R. 5001: Medicare: MTC & SCHIP, 2000-2001. Microcredit, 1997-2001. H.R. 5070: Minnesota vs. United States: Medicare funding, 1999-2000. 141.E.9.3B 6 H.R. 2418: Organ transplants, 1999-2000. 3 folders. H.R. 680: Political appointees bill, 1995-1999. H.R. 128: Same day voter registration, undated, ca. 2001. Trident missile, 1997-2000. 4 folders. Save the Twins/Professional baseball regulation, 1997, 2001. Twin Cities Rail Corridor, 1998-2000, Fiscal Year 2003. Issue Files: 3M Aluminum Matrix Conductors, 2000-2001. Ceder Avenue/Highway 77, 2002. Great Lakes drilling, 2001. 2 folders. Highway 13/Ports of Savage, 2002. Highway 52, 2002. Highway 212, 2002. Highway 610/10, 1999, 2001, Fiscal Year 2003. 2 folders. Lockheed Martin request, Fiscal Year 2002. New Source Review, 2000-2001. Northstar Corridor, 2001. Olmstead/Goodhue/Dakota, 2001-2002. Pine Bend Bluffs, 2002. Prescription drug pricing, 1999-2000. Stillwater armory, 2002. Stillwater Bridge, 2000-2001. 2 folders. Stillwater lift bridge, 2000-2001. Stillwater levee, 1999-2003. 2 folders. Timor humanitarian situation, 2000. Twin Cities Transitways, Fiscal Year 2003. Wakota Bridge, 1998-2002.