A Register of His White House Files, 1961-1964
In the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration
Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
List of Series
Series Description
Administrative Information
Abstract
White House Staff Files, 1961-1964
The Presidential Papers of John F. Kennedy
Lawyer, government official. Deputy Special Counsel to the President (1961-64). Correspondence, memorandums, reports, notes, drafts, releases on general subjects, tariffs, trade, and legislation.
Access
Open.
Usage Restrictions
According to the letter of transfer 1965, copyright of these materials has been assigned to the United States. Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Users of these materials are advised to determine the copyright status of any document from which they wish to publish.
Copyright
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excesses of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form. Direct your questions concerning copyright to the reference staff.
Provenance
Files of Myer Feldman as Deputy Special Counsel to President Kennedy were donated to the Kennedy Library in 1965 as part of the papers of John F. Kennedy.
Extent
About 24,000 pages (12 linear feet, 11 linear inches ; 14.6 cubic feet)
Withdrawn Items
This material first became available for research use July 1972. Before that time, in compliance with the terms of the deed of gift by which the John F. Kennedy papers are administered, approximately 130 items were removed and placed under seal because they contain information of a personal or confidential nature which could be used to injure, embarrass or harass living persons or because they are security classified. Document withdrawal sheets have been inserted in the file wherever an item has been removed. The Library will review annually the unclassified portion of this closed material for the purpose of opening items which no longer require restriction. A description of each classified document is contained on the withdrawal sheet replacing it in the file. A descriptive list of all classified documents contained in these files is available on request. Certain classified documents can be declassified by the Library under the authority of Executive Order 11652 or by the agencies of origin in response to a request for review submitted by the researcher.
Date Opened
February 1973
Processed by
E. William Johnson
Encoded by
James M. Roth
Revisions
Finding aid updated in May 2002 by James M. Roth
Electronic version of the finding aid updated in November 2005, by James M. Roth
Related Collections
Myer Feldman Oral History Interview, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
John F. Kennedy Pre-Presidential Papers, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Howard Petersen White House Staff Files, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Theodore C. Sorensen Papers, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Lee White White House Staff Files, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
President's Special Representative for Foreign Trade Negotiations, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
White House Staff Files of Myer "Mike" Feldman (1917- )
Biographical Note
Myer Feldman held the post of Deputy Special Counsel to the President throughout the Kennedy administration. He served with Assistant Special Counsel Lee C. White directly under Special Counsel to the President Theodore C. Sorensen. Feldman's duties included staff work on a wide range of programs, issues, and legislative proposals. He watched the Middle East and foreign trade matters for the President. He handled most business requests to the White House relating to tariffs, airline routes, and subsidies. He was one of the individuals responsible for briefing the President for his press conferences.
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1914, June 22
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Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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1935
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B.S., Wharton School
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1938
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LL.B., University of Pennsylvania
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1946 - 1954
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Special Counsel and Executive Assistant to the Chairman SEC.
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1955 - 1957
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Counsel, Banking and Currency Commission, U.S. Senate
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1958 - 1961
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Legislative Assistant to John F. Kennedy
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1961 - 1964
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Deputy Special Counsel to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson
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1964 - 1965
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Counsel to President Johnson
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1965 - present
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Partner, Ginzburg and Feldman, Washington, D.C.
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Collection Overview
The Presidential papers of John F. Kennedy consist of several major bodies of research material. The White House Central Subject File is the principal White House file. The White House Name File contains copies of most incoming correspondence arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent and is cross-referenced to the Subject File. The Chronological File contains copies of documents prepared for the President's signature and is also cross-referenced to the Subject File. The Social File contains the records of the White House Social Office and includes the correspondence of the First Lady. The President's Office File contains the papers maintained by the President's personal secretary for his use. The National Security File contains the records of the staff of the special assistant to the President for national security affairs.
In addition, in what were called in the White House "storage" or "overflow" files are found various miscellaneous materials and the records of the offices of most members of the President's staff. The files described in this finding aid constitute one of the series of White House staff files included in the Presidential papers of John F. Kennedy.
The White House Files of Myer Feldman consist primarily of incoming and outgoing official correspondence with the public, with private organizations, with individuals within the Federal bureaucracy, and internal exchanges carried on within the White House. They include both draft and finalized letters, memoranda, and reports to the President from Feldman and others. The original overall breakdown of the files into three series has been retained. These consist of a general subject and name series, a tariff and trade matters series, and a series dealing with legislation. A fair amount of re-arrangement was done, however, within these series. The user should consult the appropriate categories in the White House Central Subject Files for related papers. Other Feldman material can be found in the pre-presidential papers of John F. Kennedy, in the files of the President's Special Representative for Foreign Trade Negotiations, in the Theodore C. Sorensen papers, and in the Lee White White House Staff Files. Feldman was interviewed extensively by the Kennedy Library Oral History Project and is cited in a large number of interviews with other individuals. At the time of this writing no personal papers of Myer Feldman have been deposited in the Kennedy Library.
List of Series
Series 1. General File
Series 2. Tariff and Trade File
Series 3. Legislation File
SeriesDescription
Series 1. General File
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Arrangement: alphabetical by topic.
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, notes, drafts, releases and other papers. Arranged alphabetically by topic, organization, or name of individuals. Important entries include agriculture, airline routes and aviation, Civil Rights, coal, Consumers’ Advisory Council, Defense Manpower Order #4, Food for Peace, government service, mental retardation, railroads, the Sugar Act, and telecommunications. Prominent names include William O. Douglas, Billie Sol Estes, Orville Freeman, Bernard Goldfine, Jacqueline Kennedy, James Landis, and Janet Travell.
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Box 1
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Administered Price Bill
Administrative Conference of the United States (5 folders)
Advertising Council
Aging, Program for
Agriculture
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General (4 folders)
Budget 1964
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Box 2
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Cooperatives
Dairy Milk Producers - Dealers
Dairy Programs
Dates of Marketing Orders
Family Farm
EEC Common Agricultural Policy
Farm Bill
Farm Bureau
Farm Vote Statistics
Orville Freeman
Mixed Grain Problem
Potatoes
Rice
Farm Interviews
Task Force
Tobacco
Weekly Reports of the Department (3 folders)
Wheat Program
World Food Congress
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America - Israel Cultural Foundation
American Tanker Owners, Inc.
Area Redevelopment
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Box 3
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Armed Forces Retired Pay
Arms Control
Automation Commission Resolution
Aviation
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Airline Subsidy Reduction
Aviation Loan Guarantee
Beltsville Airport
Chantilly Airport
Eagle Airways
Federal Aviation Service
International Air Transport Policy (3 folders)
International Aviation Organization
Luxembourg
Mohawk B.A.C. Purchase
National Aviation Goals (Project Horizon) (2 folders)
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Box 4
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Northeast Airlines
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Alan Boyd Senate Testimony
New York - Florida Renewal Decision
Report of Senate Hearing
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Pan American World Airways
South Pacific Route Case
Supersonic Transport
Transatlantic Fares
U.S.-Mexican Civil Air Agreement
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Balance of Payments
Bank Pension Funds
Bank Supervision - Federal Organization
Barter Program (4 folders)
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Box 5
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Bonner, Congressman Herbert C.
Budget (2 folders)
Canada
Chlorine Barge - Mississippi River
CIA - Congressional Committee Appearances
Civil Defense
Civil Rights (4 folders)
Coal, General (6 folders)
Coal, Nathan Report on Foreign Market Potential (1-2 of 4 folders)
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Box 6
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Coal, Nathan Report on Foreign Market Potential (3-4 of 4 folders)
Coal, Pipeline (2 folders)
Columbia River
Commemorative Coins
Commerce Department (2 folders)
Communications Satellite
Commission on Status of Women
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Box 7
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Commission on Status of Women
Congressional Procedures
Consumers’ Advisory Council (8 folders)
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Box 8
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Consumers’ Advisory Council
Country Life Commission
Cuba (3 folders)
Defense Manpower order #4 (8 folders)
Douglas, Justice William O.
Drug Legislation (3 folders)
Dumping
Durham Rule
Economy
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Box 9
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Education
Environmental Health Center
Estes, Billie Sol (3 folders)
Export - Import Bank
Federal Funds (by states) (2 folders)
Federal Power Commission
Federal Reports Act
Federal Reserve Board
Financing Bill
Fine Arts Commission
Fish
Flood Insurance
Food for Peace Program (7 folders)
Foreign Aid
Foreign Exchange Controls
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Box 10
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Foreign Flag Carriers (4 folders)
Freedman, Ben
Functional Discount
Georgia
Gold
Goldfine, Bernard
Gold Mining
Governors’ Conference (3 folders)
Government Service
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Conflicts of Interest (5 folders)
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Box 11
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Employee Management Relations
Gifts to Government Employees
Property Holdings of Presidential Appointees
Salaries - Executive BOB-USCSC Background Paper (2 folders)
Salaries - Executive (2 folders)
Salaries - Supergrades
Salary System Reform (4 folders)
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Health Insurance (2 folders)
HEW - Health Program Organization
Health Research (International)
Helicopter Service for D.C.
Interama (2 folders)
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Box 12
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Interama (2 folders)
Interstate Commerce Commission (2 folders)
Iron Pellet Research
Israel: Fulbright Investigation
Juvenile Delinquency
Kennedy, Jacqueline
Kidney Treatment
Labor Management Advisory Committee
Landis, James M.
Legislative Clearance Procedures
Leva, Mark
Library Service (2 folders)
Long Beach Hospital
Louisiana, Federal Expenditures for
McMurray, Joseph
Made Lands
Maritime Industry (2 folders)
Meat (2 folders)
Mental Health
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Box 13
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Mental Retardation
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General (14 folders)
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Box 14
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Mental Retardation (continued)
"A National Program . . ." (2 folders)
Progress Reports (6 folders)
Conference at Airlee House, 9/63 (2 folders)
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Merchant Marine
Mermel, Henry A.
Metric System
Michigan
Military Manpower
Military Pay
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Box 15
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Mining
Miscellaneous Referrals (3 folders)
National Service Corps (4 folders)
New Haven Railroad (4 folders)
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Box 16
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New Haven Railroad (3 folders)
Office of Emergency Planning
Packaging Bill
Passports
Patent Policy (2 folders)
Peace Corps
Pemex Pipeline
Portsmouth Navy Yard (2 folders)
Postal Rates (2 folders)
Post Office Department
Presidential Advisory Groups
Presidential Inability
Public Affairs Committee
Public Service
Quality Stabilization
Railroads (2 folders)
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Box 17
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Railroads (2 folders)
Railroad Retirement Program
Railroad Tax
Refugees
Regulatory Agencies
Retirement Age Legislation
Science and Technology (2 folders)
Securities and Exchange Commission
SEC-FPC Reorganization
Security Fund - White House
Sheltered Workshops
Ship Automation
Status of Soviet Jews Conference
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Box 18
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Status of Soviet Jews Conference
Steamship Conference Rate Making
Steel
Steel: Blaw-Knox Company
Stock Market
Stockpile
Sugar Act (7 folders)
Sugar Beets
Swarthmore Highway
Taft-Hartley Amendments
Tax Proposals
Taxes - Payment in Lieu of
Telecommunications
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Box 19
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Telecommunications (5 folders)
Television Improvement
Testimony before Congress - by Members of Executive
Torah Exhibit
Transportation Policy (3 folders)
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Box 20
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Transportation Policy (7 folders)
Travell, Janet, M.D.
Truth in Packaging
Unemployment
United Nations Bond Issue
Urban Affairs
User Charges - Inland Waterways
Vehicles Used by Executive Branch
Working Mothers
Worlds Fair
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Series 2. Tariff and Trade File.
Arrangement: alphabetical by subject.
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and draft and finalized releases and statements. Arranged alphabetically by name of commodity, nation, or topic. Important commodities include cotton, oil, poultry, and textiles. Important topics include trade policy, trade expansion, and reciprocal trade.
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Box 21
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Bicycles
Canned Fruit
Carpets & Rugs
Cheese
Cotton
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General (7 folders)
American Cotton Manufacturers Institute Meeting
Cotton Equalization
Cotton Textile Agreement
Cotton Textile Case
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Box 22
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Dearing, Gerald L.
Troutman, Robert Jr.
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Dairy Imports
East-West Trade Hearings
Electrical Indicating Devices
Export Expansion Conference
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Committee Working Papers
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Foreign Trade Fact Sheets
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Cities
States
Congressional Districts: Arkansas-Kansas
Congressional Districts: Kentucky-Wisconsin
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Box 23
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Glass
Oil
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Birmingham, John P.
Canada
Evans, John K.
Impact of Oil Exports from Soviet Bloc
Import Controls (8 folders)
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Box 24
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Northern Tier Refineries
Presidential Proclamation (2 folders)
Residual Fuel Oil
Superior Oil Company
Venezuela
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Poland and Yugoslavia
Poultry: Papers for President
Poultry (2 folders)
Puerto Rico
Reciprocal Trade (4 folders)
South African Lead Quotas
South Carolina
Tariff Actions
Tariff Commission
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Box 25
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Textiles
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Price, Hickman
Stevens, Robert T.
Textile Advisory Committee (6 folders)
Textiles Imports Investigation
Textile Industry (7 folders)
Textile Program Thank You Letters
Textile Workers Union of America, Releases
Wool Imports (1 of 5 folders)
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Box 26
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Wool Imports (2-5 of 5 folders)
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Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (2 folders)
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Questions and Answers
Tariff Commission Memo
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Trade Negotiations
Trade Policy (2 folders)
Trade Policy Committee
U.N. Trade Conference
Virgin Islands Imports
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Series 3. Legislation File.
Arrangement: alphabetical by subject.
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and releases, as well as draft bills and legislative proposals. Arranged alphabetically by title or subject of legislation. Deals with health, education, and welfare concerns and a number of other areas.
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Box 27
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Bills Signed by President (2 folders)
Agriculture Bill
Aid to Education (3 folders)
Aid to Dependent Children
Area Redevelopment
Balance of Payments
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Duty-Free Allowance Reduction
Foreign Central Banks Exemption
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Battle Act
Conflict of Interest
Defense Department
District of Columbia Election Regulation
District of Columbia Home Rule
Federal Airport Act
Feed Grain Program
Foreign Aid
Health: Insurance for the Aged
Health: Aid for Medical Education and Research
Health, Education, and Welfare: Assistant Secretary for International Affairs
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Box 28
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Higher Education
Highway Program (2 folders)
Interest Rate Differential for Foreign Government Deposits
Judgeships
Juvenile Delinquency
Labor Department, Assistant Secretary for Labor Standards
Mass Transportation
Military Program
Minimum Wage (3 folders)
National Aeronautics and Space Council Chairmanship
National Cultural Center
National Defense Education Acts: Amendments of 1961
National Institute of Child Health and Development
Peace Corps
Publicker Industries (3 folders)
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Box 29
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Refugee Resettlement
Reorganization Act of 1949
Reorganization Plans (2 folders)
Robinson Basin Ski Area Development
Saline Water Research
Secret Service Protection for Successors to the Presidency
Social Security Improvements
Trade Adjustment Legislation (2 folders)
Training and Retraining
Unemployment Compensation
Department of Urban Affairs & Housing
Veterans Disability Compensation
Veto Messages
Water Resources Planning Act
Welfare and Pension Plans Disclosure Act Amendments
Youth Employment Opportunities Act
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