Jeff Bingaman Senatorial papers
Collection
Identifier: MSS-906-BC
Scope and Content
Administrative: Documents related to the functioning of the Office, such as policy manuals, sample budgets, procedures manuals, staff biographies, and guest registers. Some material is in electronic format and will be available via a local online drive.
Awards and Memorabilia: Photographs of the awards and memorabilia given to the Senator. This material is in electronic format and will be available via a local online drive. Target availability: 2019.
Campaign Documents: This series includes radio and tv campaign ads as well as posters and other materials clearly intended for public display or use. Target availability: 2019 for digital. Other materials include background information, campaign research, etc. Material in this series is in both paper and electronic formats. Electronic files will be available via a local online drive.
Constituent Correspondence: In an attempt to remain as accessible to constituents as possible, the Senator’s Office accepted correspondence in a number of ways: postal letter, personal visits, e-mail, faxes, phone calls, postcards, and (less common today as in the early years of the office) telegrams. This series has been scanned onto DVDs containing PDF copies of the letters. Microfilm copies of the correspondence will also be available. Target availability: 1/2033.
Legislative Records: The legislative files are considered the "core" of the collection. They comprise the largest volume of material and directly speak to the legislative record of Senator Bingaman’s thirty-year term. Document in this series include policy memos, background information, reports, various official correspondence, some legislative staff emails, documents related to the senator’s organizational memberships (caucuses, coalitions, etc.). Senator Bingaman’s legislative priorities included: health care; education/dropouts; science and technology; energy; natural resources; public lands; global competitiveness; national and border security. These files are paper and electronic. Digital files will be made accessible via a local online drive at CSWR.
Office Special Projects: Over the thirty years of Senator Bingaman’s service, he initiated several special outreach efforts aimed either at offering New Mexicans the opportunity to learn more about public policy, or providing a liaison to specific communities. These projects reveal the Senator’s interest in creating opportunities for him and the staff, along with communities and leaders in New Mexico, to exchange ideas and learn from one another. These special projects include: Student Leadership Institutes, the Capitol Issues Forum, the Senior Intern Program, the Arts Liaison, and the teacher extern program. Local online access to digital files will be provided at CSWR. Target availability: 2019.
Oral Histories: A substantial collection of interviews with staff members from 2003 forward, including many former staff who returned to be interviewed. Most interviews pertained to the staff member’s work in the Office. A few in the series include recollections of specific legislative issues, such as the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to the Navajo Code Talkers. Interviews and transcripts are digital and will be packaged for online distribution and eventual publication via a CSWR-sponsored web content management server for public access. Target availability: 2019.
Photographs: This series includes photographs, both printed and digital, of the Senator engaged in official duties. Digital photographs will be accessible via a CSWR-sponsored web content management server and/or a local online drive at CSWR. Target availability: 2019.
Press and Media: This series includes news releases, press clippings, media advisories, video and audio, e-newsletters, and materials related to the Senator’s outreach through the media and other social media avenues (including our website, the Senator’s Facebook page and YouTube channel). There are two smaller sub-series of this series. One includes "press research" materials and includes memos, documents, and forms that provided background for the media outreach (particularly for news releases). The second subseries contains "press administrative" files, including planning documents and strategic memos analyzing the effectiveness of the Office’s media outreach and attending to administrative functions of the Press Department. Reconstruction and/or representation of Senator Bingaman’s web-based public resources will be available via a CSWR web server. Other digital files will be accessible via local online access. Some print materials as well as electronic files.
Scheduling Documents: This series contains the Senator’s schedule and briefing books for state travel. These documents have been arranged chronologically and scanned onto DVDs containing PDFs. They have also been microfilmed. A smaller subset of this series contains administrative files related to scheduling, such as analyses of frequency of visits to certain counties, sample invitation lists, and internal memos on the scheduling process itself. These have been absorbed into Admistrative series. Access to digital files will be via a local online drive at CSWR. Target availability: 2019.
Speeches and Statements: Documents in this series include speeches the Senator has given publically at events, as well as statements he had made on the Senate floor. The bulk of this series is electronic; 1 box of paper speeches has been retained. Digital files will be accessible via a local online drive at CSWR, 2019.
State and District Files: Documents in this series are primarily those produced by "Field Representatives," who work from each of the five New Mexico offices (Farmington, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Roswell) and maintain strong relationships with the communities they support. The duties of the Field Representatives have changed over time. As of the time of the office closing (2012), they were each responsible for outreach to their assigned counties. At the start of the office, they were also responsible for one primary legislative area, such as education, statewide. That changed with a state office restructuring sometime in the 1990s. "Field Reps," as they are called in the office, are the eyes and ears of their communities. They attend community and governmental meetings, visit with officials, business owners, and other citizens to learn about the pressing needs of each region of the state. They help explain the impact of legislation on communities, identify sources of funding (grants, appropriations, etc.) for infrastructure improvements and other community development needs, and they communicate the concerns of community leaders and residents to the Washington staff so that those needs inform our policy making. Their documents contain letters, memos, background information, reports, and some emails. These are paper files.
Awards and Memorabilia: Photographs of the awards and memorabilia given to the Senator. This material is in electronic format and will be available via a local online drive. Target availability: 2019.
Campaign Documents: This series includes radio and tv campaign ads as well as posters and other materials clearly intended for public display or use. Target availability: 2019 for digital. Other materials include background information, campaign research, etc. Material in this series is in both paper and electronic formats. Electronic files will be available via a local online drive.
Constituent Correspondence: In an attempt to remain as accessible to constituents as possible, the Senator’s Office accepted correspondence in a number of ways: postal letter, personal visits, e-mail, faxes, phone calls, postcards, and (less common today as in the early years of the office) telegrams. This series has been scanned onto DVDs containing PDF copies of the letters. Microfilm copies of the correspondence will also be available. Target availability: 1/2033.
Legislative Records: The legislative files are considered the "core" of the collection. They comprise the largest volume of material and directly speak to the legislative record of Senator Bingaman’s thirty-year term. Document in this series include policy memos, background information, reports, various official correspondence, some legislative staff emails, documents related to the senator’s organizational memberships (caucuses, coalitions, etc.). Senator Bingaman’s legislative priorities included: health care; education/dropouts; science and technology; energy; natural resources; public lands; global competitiveness; national and border security. These files are paper and electronic. Digital files will be made accessible via a local online drive at CSWR.
Office Special Projects: Over the thirty years of Senator Bingaman’s service, he initiated several special outreach efforts aimed either at offering New Mexicans the opportunity to learn more about public policy, or providing a liaison to specific communities. These projects reveal the Senator’s interest in creating opportunities for him and the staff, along with communities and leaders in New Mexico, to exchange ideas and learn from one another. These special projects include: Student Leadership Institutes, the Capitol Issues Forum, the Senior Intern Program, the Arts Liaison, and the teacher extern program. Local online access to digital files will be provided at CSWR. Target availability: 2019.
Oral Histories: A substantial collection of interviews with staff members from 2003 forward, including many former staff who returned to be interviewed. Most interviews pertained to the staff member’s work in the Office. A few in the series include recollections of specific legislative issues, such as the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to the Navajo Code Talkers. Interviews and transcripts are digital and will be packaged for online distribution and eventual publication via a CSWR-sponsored web content management server for public access. Target availability: 2019.
Photographs: This series includes photographs, both printed and digital, of the Senator engaged in official duties. Digital photographs will be accessible via a CSWR-sponsored web content management server and/or a local online drive at CSWR. Target availability: 2019.
Press and Media: This series includes news releases, press clippings, media advisories, video and audio, e-newsletters, and materials related to the Senator’s outreach through the media and other social media avenues (including our website, the Senator’s Facebook page and YouTube channel). There are two smaller sub-series of this series. One includes "press research" materials and includes memos, documents, and forms that provided background for the media outreach (particularly for news releases). The second subseries contains "press administrative" files, including planning documents and strategic memos analyzing the effectiveness of the Office’s media outreach and attending to administrative functions of the Press Department. Reconstruction and/or representation of Senator Bingaman’s web-based public resources will be available via a CSWR web server. Other digital files will be accessible via local online access. Some print materials as well as electronic files.
Scheduling Documents: This series contains the Senator’s schedule and briefing books for state travel. These documents have been arranged chronologically and scanned onto DVDs containing PDFs. They have also been microfilmed. A smaller subset of this series contains administrative files related to scheduling, such as analyses of frequency of visits to certain counties, sample invitation lists, and internal memos on the scheduling process itself. These have been absorbed into Admistrative series. Access to digital files will be via a local online drive at CSWR. Target availability: 2019.
Speeches and Statements: Documents in this series include speeches the Senator has given publically at events, as well as statements he had made on the Senate floor. The bulk of this series is electronic; 1 box of paper speeches has been retained. Digital files will be accessible via a local online drive at CSWR, 2019.
State and District Files: Documents in this series are primarily those produced by "Field Representatives," who work from each of the five New Mexico offices (Farmington, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Roswell) and maintain strong relationships with the communities they support. The duties of the Field Representatives have changed over time. As of the time of the office closing (2012), they were each responsible for outreach to their assigned counties. At the start of the office, they were also responsible for one primary legislative area, such as education, statewide. That changed with a state office restructuring sometime in the 1990s. "Field Reps," as they are called in the office, are the eyes and ears of their communities. They attend community and governmental meetings, visit with officials, business owners, and other citizens to learn about the pressing needs of each region of the state. They help explain the impact of legislation on communities, identify sources of funding (grants, appropriations, etc.) for infrastructure improvements and other community development needs, and they communicate the concerns of community leaders and residents to the Washington staff so that those needs inform our policy making. Their documents contain letters, memos, background information, reports, and some emails. These are paper files.
Dates
- circa 1982-2012
Creator
- Bingaman, Jeff (Person)
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is available for research, except when donor restrictions apply. Consult with archivist for access. Campaign - Background information and campaign research: closed until 1/2018; Constituent correspondence: closed until 1/2033; Legislative records: closed until 1/2018; Oral histories: closed until 1/2018 (except as noted in separated material below); State and district files: closed until 1/2018
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Biography / History
Jeff (Jesse Francis) Bingaman Jr. was born in El Paso, TX on October 3, 1943 and grew up in Silver City, NM. His father taught science at Western New Mexico University; his mother was a public school teacher. Jeff graduated from Harvard College in 1965 with a degree in government. He earned his law degree from Stanford in 1968. He met his wife, Anne Kovacovich, a fellow law student, while at Stanford. Jeff and Anne returned to New Mexico after graduation, and had their son John. That same year, Jeff was admitted to the New Mexico bar. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve, from 1968-1974.
Jeff Bingaman became assistant New Mexico Attorney General in 1969. He was in private practice from 1970-1978 and was elected Attorney General of New Mexico in 1978. Bingaman successfully ran for the U. S. Senate as a democrat in 1982, defeating incumbent Harrison Schmitt (R). Bingaman served 6 terms in the Senate and chose not to run for reelection in 2012. While in the Senate, he chaired the Senate Impeachment Trial Committee and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He served on the Committee on Armed Services; Committee on Finance; Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and Joint Economic Committee. Bingaman’s priority issues were energy, natural resources, public lands, national and border security, health care, education, economy and competitiveness. He championed issues important to New Mexico’s families and communities.
Jeff Bingaman became assistant New Mexico Attorney General in 1969. He was in private practice from 1970-1978 and was elected Attorney General of New Mexico in 1978. Bingaman successfully ran for the U. S. Senate as a democrat in 1982, defeating incumbent Harrison Schmitt (R). Bingaman served 6 terms in the Senate and chose not to run for reelection in 2012. While in the Senate, he chaired the Senate Impeachment Trial Committee and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He served on the Committee on Armed Services; Committee on Finance; Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and Joint Economic Committee. Bingaman’s priority issues were energy, natural resources, public lands, national and border security, health care, education, economy and competitiveness. He championed issues important to New Mexico’s families and communities.
Extent
729 boxes (730.7 cu.ft.)
Abstract
The collection contains administrative files, campaign documents, special projects files, photographs, press and media files, scheduling documents, speeches and statements, oral histories, correspondence, legislative research files, and state office files generated in association with Jeff Bingaman’s 30 year tenure as U. S. Senator from New Mexico.
Arrangement
The collection will be arranged in the following series:
- Administrative
- Awards and Memorabilia
- Campaign Documents
- Constituent Correspondence
- Legislative Records
- Office Special Projects
- Oral Histories
- Photographs
- Press and Media
- Scheduling Documents
- Speeches and Statements
- State and District Files
Separated Material
Oral history release forms and interviews are located in the accession file.
Memorabilia is housed at Western New Mexico University.
Memorabilia is housed at Western New Mexico University.
Processing Information
Some material in this collection is in the process of digitization.
Inquire with reference staff for access to unprocessed material, 28 boxes, B3-3B (received Feb. 2020). Includes personal records, patient’s bill of rights/environmental files, miscellaneous health files, Joel Sckrybal Health Policy files, Mitch’s files, miscellaneous labs info 1993, and Tax Issues 2009-11. Patron is required to fill out Unprocessed Collections Use form.
Inquire with reference staff for access to unprocessed material, 28 boxes, B3-3B (received Feb. 2020). Includes personal records, patient’s bill of rights/environmental files, miscellaneous health files, Joel Sckrybal Health Policy files, Mitch’s files, miscellaneous labs info 1993, and Tax Issues 2009-11. Patron is required to fill out Unprocessed Collections Use form.
- Legislators -- New Mexico -- Archives
- Legislators -- United States – Records and correspondence
- Letters
- New Mexico -- Politics and government -- 1951-
- Oral histories
- Oral history -- New Mexico
- Photographs
- Politicians -- United States – Records and correspondence
- Politicians – New Mexico -- Archives
- Speeches
- Speeches, addresses, etc.
Creator
- Bingaman, Jeff (Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Jeff Bingaman Senatorial papers, 1982-2012
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Samuel Sisneros
- Date
- © 2013
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
- Sponsor
- Funding provided in part by Center for Regional Studies, University of New Mexico, Dr. Tobías Durán, Director
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu