Lawrence F. O'Brien (#8.17)

A Register of White House Congressional Liaison Office Files, 1961-1963
In the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration

Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
List of Series
Description


Administrative Information

Abstract
White House Staff Files 1961-1963
Special Assistant to the President for Congressional Liaison and Personnel (1961-1965). House and Senate correspondence files, legislative leaders breakfasts file, legislative background material, and Post Office appointments.

Access
Open.

Usage Restrictions
The files of members of the Congressional Liaison Staff were donated to the John F. Kennedy Library in 1965 as part of the papers of John F. Kennedy. The donors of the John F. Kennedy papers have assigned their literary property rights in this material 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 The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form.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
The files of members of the Congressional Liaison Staff were donated to the John F. Kennedy Library in 1965 as part of the papers of John F. Kennedy.

Extent
About 26,400 pages (14 linear feet, 6 linear inches ; 16.5 cubic feet)

Withdrawn Items
Selected folders may contain withdrawal sheets where documents, in accordance with the donor's deed of gift, were removed from the collection. These include documents which may be used to injure or harass any living person. All withdrawn documents have been placed under seal and upon request the Kennedy Library will review any material which has been closed for a period of not less than 2 years for the purpose of opening items which no longer require restrictions. Researchers should consult the reference staff to obtain the appropriate form(s).

Date Opened
June 1977.

Arranged by
James Williamson

Screened by
Cedrone, Desnoyers, Eagan, Forbes, Goodrich, Moss, Stocking, Travis, Waters, Williamson

Encoded by
James M. Roth

Related Collections
Congressional Liaison Office , John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
  

Congressional Liaison Office Files of Lawrence O'Brien (1917-1990)

Biographical Note
Lawrence F. O'Brien served as Special Assistant for Congressional Relations from 1961 to 1965 under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. After his appointment as Postmaster General by President Johnson, he continued many of his congressional liaison functions. His White House Staff Files in the Kennedy Library reflect his activities as head of the congressional liaison staff during the Kennedy administration, 1961-1963.

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.

These files document the efforts of the congressional liaison office to get the Congress to pass the President's program. Three themes are apparent: legislative strategy; tactics to secure favorable votes; and the provision of favors for legislators, of which careful records seem to have been kept in some instances.

Researchers interested in the legislative history of the Kennedy administration should check the LE (legislation) series of the White House Central Subject Files and the titles or subjects of particular pieces of legislation in those same files. The Legislative Files of the President's Office Files also contain complementary material. Furthermore, additional material may be found in the papers and files of such staff members as Theodore Sorensen, Lee White, Myer Feldman, and others, and in the papers of Robert F. Kennedy, Burke Marshall and others.

List of Series

Collection Description

Series 1. House File.
(boxes 1-16)
Arrangement: alphabetical by surname.

This alphabetic name file consists of correspondence between the congressional liaison office and members of the House of Representatives. Also included are inter-office memoranda, biographical sketches, voting records for each House member, and information regarding appointments, patronage, and government contract awards.
  

Series 2. Senate File.
(boxes 17-22)
Arrangement: alphabetical by surname.

This file corresponds in content to the files for the House of Representatives. It consists of correspondence between the congressional liaison office and members of the Senate. Also included are interoffice memoranda, biographical sketches, voting records for each Senate member, and information regarding appointments, patronage, and government contract awards.
  

Series 3. Legislative Leaders Breakfast Material.
(boxes 23-30)
Arrangement: chronological by date.

To aid in the passage of administration‑supported legislation, President Kennedy had Tuesday morning breakfasts with the leadership of Congress. In order to prepare the president for these meetings, O'Brien received weekly reports from forty or so congressional liaison officers of the various departments and agencies on pending legislation. O'Brien then prepared an agenda for the meeting and submitted it and the agency reports to the president. The material in this series consists of the files O'Brien kept for this purpose. The file is arranged in chronological order.
  

Series 4. Legislative Background Material.
(box 31-32)
Arrangement: alphabetical by subject.

This file contains material on the voting records of each member of Congress. There is also a list of legislation passed and a small quantity of inter-office correspondence.
  

Series 5. Post Office Appointments and Actions.
(box 33)
Arrangement: by subject.

This series contains a list of post office appointments made at the suggestion of members of Congress.