SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Material compiled by Timmons and his assistant Powell Moore from August to December 1974 and Timmons' routine personal correspondence from 1969 to 1974. The files document the organization of the White House legislative liaison staff and contacts between Timmons and individual Members of Congress on pending legislation, presidential appointments and routine political matters.

QUANTITY
9.2 linear feet (ca. 18,400 pages)

DONOR
Gerald R. Ford (accession number 77-107)

ACCESS
Open. Some items are temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).

COPYRIGHT
Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by Paul Conway, June 1985
[s:\bin\findaid\timmons, william - files.doc]

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

William E. Timmons

12/27/30 - Born, Chattanooga, Tennessee

1949 - Graduated from Baylor Military Academy

1950 - Sales, Provident Insurance Company

1951-55 - U.S. Air Force

1955-61 - Aide to Senator Alexander Wiley (Wisconsin)

1959 - Graduated from Georgetown University (BS)

1961-62 - Executive Secretary, Hamilton County Branch Tennessee Republican Party

1963-69 - Administrative Assistant to Representative William Brock (Tennessee)

1969-74 - Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs

1974- -President, Timmons and Company, Inc. (Washington, D.C. public relations firm)

Powell A. Moore

1/5/38 - Born, Milledgeville, Georgia

1955 - Northwestern University

1955-56 - Georgia Military College

1956-59 - University of Georgia (ABJ)

1959-62 - U.S. Army Reserves

1962-64 - Editor, Union Recorder, Milledgeville

1965-66 - Public Affairs Officer, Southern Natural Gas Company, Birmingham, Alabama

1966-71 - Press Secretary to Senator Richard Russell (Georgia)

1971-72 - Public Information Officer, Office of Attorney General, Department of Justice

1972-73 - Committee to Reelect the President and Director of Press Relations, Inaugural Committee

1973-74 - Deputy Special Assistant to the President, Congressional Relations Office

1975-? - Marketing Corporation of America

1981-82 - Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs

1983-84 - Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations

INTRODUCTION

The William E. Timmons Files consist of memoranda, correspondence, briefing papers, notes and reports on legislation compiled by Timmons and his assistant Powell Moore from August to December 1974, and Timmons' routine personal correspondence from 1969 to 1974.

During the first five months of the Ford administration, Timmons continued to head the White House Congressional Relations Office, as he had done since 1970. He was the main contact point for often routine requests from individual senators and representatives to the White House. Timmons also transmitted and explained the administration's legislative goals and advised the President on congressional activities.

Timmons supervised six staff assistants. Max Friedersdorf, Vernon Loen and Eugene Ainsworth kept close tabs on the House of Representatives while Tom Korologos and Patrick O'Donnell worked with the Senate. Powell Moore assisted Timmons directly by monitoring the status of pending legislation and recently passed bills, and notifying the House and Senate of high level appointments, disaster relief action and major federal grants. In late 1974 Timmons, Korologos and Ainsworth quit government service to form a Washington, DC public relations firm. President Ford appointed Friedersdorf to succeed Timmons.

Timmons' files document his activities well. While there is little record of the significant volume of telephone calls between Capitol Hill and the White House, the files provide an overview of the key legislative issues of the early Ford administration. Particularly well documented is liaison with Congress on specific bills such as amnesty for draft evaders, cargo preference, federal pay deferral, and Nixon papers and tapes. Also documented is congressional advice on the selection and confirmation of Nelson Rockefeller as Vice President and President Ford's travel for congressional candidates in 1974. Timmons maintained close contact in writing with his assistants, especially Tom Korologos. Their notes and memos are often candid records of the tit for tat of executive-congressional relations.

A large portion of the Congressional Relations Office's time was spent notifying Members of Congress on White House personnel actions, including seeking suggestions, obtaining clearances, and urging prompt congressional action. Timmons' files document his mostly routine activities in this area.

Powell Moore maintained a separate file on his responsibilities, but because he often reported directly to Timmons in writing, Timmons' files are interspersed with information about Moore's activities and those of other Congressional Relations Office staff.

Related Materials (June 1985)
Material on the responsibilities and activities of the Congressional Relations Office is located in the files of Timmons' office colleagues, especially Max Friedersdorf and Vernon Loen. The files of individual White House staff will contain information on specific pieces of legislation and executive-congressional relations in their respective policy areas.

The White House Central Files subject categories on the House and the Senate (FG 30 to FG 39) contain cross references, briefing papers, correspondence, and memoranda on White House contacts with the Congress. The Legislation Case Files (White House Permanent Operating Offices) contain information on every public and private bill sent to the White House for action.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Subject File, 1974.  (Boxes 1‑12, 4.8 linear feet)
Memoranda to the President, White House staff and others, correspondence, notes, briefing papers for presidential meetings with Members of Congress, and schedule proposals on a wide range of domestic and foreign policy issues before the Congress.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

Chron File, 1974. (Boxes 13‑14, 0.8 linear feet)
Carbon copies of outgoing memoranda and letters from Timmons to the President, White House staff, Members of Congress, and others. Occasional photocopies of memos from Tom Korologos routed through Timmons for approval are also included. Incoming correspondence and notations on action taken are rarely located here, but are instead filed in the subject file (containers 1-12).

Arranged chronologically.

View container list for this series

Personal Correspondence, 1969-74. (Boxes 15‑16, 0.8 linear feet)
Memoranda and letters extending and maintaining Timmons' personal contacts with professional associates and friends. Included are files of invitations and messages received and sent. Written primarily during the Nixon administration but given courtesy storage during the Ford administration, all items are cross- referenced into the Nixon White House Central Files. Similar correspondence from October to December 1974 apparently was filed in Timmons' chron file (containers 13-14).

Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent or subject.

View container list for this series

Personnel Files, 1974. (Boxes 17‑21, 2.0 linear feet)
Memoranda, correspondence, applications, clearance forms and other material on congressional interests in appointments to Executive agencies, boards, and commissions. Included is information on individuals actively supported by Members of Congress, pending appointments to high level positions, and material on possible job offers to retiring or defeated Members of Congress.

Arranged alphabetically by subject and thereunder either chronologically or alphabetically.

View container list for this series

Powell Moore Subject File, 1974. (Boxes 22‑23, 0.8 linear feet)
Correspondence drafted by Moore, memoranda to White House staff, legislative action memos, federal grant applications, disaster assistance requests, and White House Personnel Office memos accumulated by Moore in his various duties for the Congressional Relations staff.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

CONTAINER LIST

Box 1 - Subject File

• Action Memos ‑ Cover Pages (1)‑(9)
• Action Memos ‑ Log
• Agriculture
• American Political Report
• Amnesty for Draft Evaders and Military Deserters
• Appropriation Bills

Box 2 - Subject File

• Beef and Poultry Problems
• Black Caucus
• Budget Committees in Congress
• Budget Reduction Proposals, 11/26/74 (1)‑(3)
• Budget Reductions
• Budget Rescissions and Deferrals
• Campaign Financing Reform Legislation
• Cargo Preference
• Commerce Department
• Conference on Inflation
• Congressional Relations ‑ Internal Memos
• Congressional Relations ‑ Procedures and Problems
• Consumer Protection Agency Legislation

Box 3 - Subject File

• Council on Wage and Price Stability
• Counsel to the President ‑ Memoranda
• Counsellors to the President ‑ Memoranda
• Defense Department Issues in Congress
• Domestic Council ‑ Memoranda
• Domestic Council ‑ White House Conferences
• Economic Adjustment/Development Legislation
• Economic Advisors ‑ Memoranda
• Editorial Staff ‑ Memoranda
• Emergency Powers Legislation
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Energy Research and Development Administration
• Evans ‑ Novak Political Report
• Executive ‑ Legislative Relations: 93rd Congress, First Session
• Executive Branch Reorganization
• Executive Office Building ‑ Library Renovation
• Executive Privilege
• Export‑Import Bank
• Federal Pay Deferral
• First Lady's Staff ‑ Memoranda
• Food Stamps
• Foreign Affairs Issues ‑ Miscellaneous
• Foreign Aid Legislation

Box 4 - Subject File

• Freedom of Information Act Veto (1)‑(2)
• General Services Administration
• Grain Sales to the Soviet Union
• Health, Education and Labor Legislation
• House of Representatives ‑ Miscellaneous
• Housing Legislation and Issues
• Illinois State Department of Labor
• Interior Department Legislation
• Justice Department Legislation
• Lame Duck Session
• Legislative Interdepartmental Group Meetings
• Legislative Issues Pending (1)‑(3)
• Leonard, Mildred ‑ Memoranda
• Meetings with Congressional Leaders ‑ Attendance Records
• Meetings with Congressional Leaders ‑ Briefing Papers (1)‑(2)

Box 5 - Subject File

• Meetings with Congressional Leaders ‑ Briefing Papers (3)‑(5)
• Meetings with Representatives and Senators ‑ Briefing Papers (1)‑(5)
• Meetings with Representatives and Senators ‑ Congressional Hour (1)‑(2)
• Meetings with Representatives and Senators ‑ Social Events
• Memoranda to the President (1)‑(4)

Box 6 - Subject File

• Memoranda to the President (5)‑(7)
• Message to Congress, 1974/08/12
• Message to Congress, 1974/09/12 (1)‑(2)
• Message to Congress, 1974/11/17
• Mid‑Term Elections ‑ Election Results
• Mid‑Term Elections ‑ General (1)‑(2)
• Mid‑Term Elections ‑ Presidential Campaign Travel (1)‑(6)

Box 7 - Subject File

• Mid‑Term Elections ‑ Presidential Campaign Travel (7)‑(8)
• National Growth Report
• National Health Insurance
• National Security Council ‑ Memoranda
• Nixon/Ford Transition ‑ Appropriations
• Nixon/Ford Transition ‑ Hungate Committee Appearance (1)‑(2)
• Nixon/Ford Transition ‑ Hungate Committee Appearance: Press Releases
• Nixon/Ford Transition ‑ Nixon Papers and Tapes Legislation (1)‑(2)
• Nixon/Ford Transition ‑ Nixon Pardon: Press Releases
• Nixon/Ford Transition ‑ Nixon Pardon: Reaction (1)‑(2)
• Nixon/Ford Transition ‑ Nixon Resignation: Press Releases

Box 8 - Subject File

• Office of Economic Opportunity
• Oil Depletion Allowance ‑ Press Briefing
• Passport Office
• Peoples' Republic of China ‑ Congressional Trip
• Photo Office ‑ Memoranda
• Postal Service
• Presentations, Drop‑Bys, Visits ‑ Briefing Papers
• Presidential Address on the Economy, 1974/10/08
• Presidential Personnel Office ‑ Memoranda
• Presidential Press Conferences and Briefings (1)‑(3)
• Presidential Speeches ‑ Congressmen Traveling with the President
• Presidential Speeches ‑ VFW, 1974/08/19
• Presidential Speeches ‑ Ohio State University, 1974/08/30
• Presidential Travel ‑ Pending (1)‑(3)
• Presidential Travel Pending: Washington, DC Area
• Press Secretary ‑ Memoranda
• Public Broadcasting Legislation
• Public Liaison ‑ Memoranda
• Revenue Sharing
• Rice Legislation

Box 9 - Subject File

• Scheduling Office ‑ Memoranda (1)‑(4)
• Scheduling Requests, 1973/05‑1974/10 (1)‑(10)

Box 10 - Subject File

• Scheduling Requests, 1974/10‑1974/12 (1)‑(9)
• Senate Democrats
• Sequoia Reservations
• Signing Ceremonies ‑ Briefing Papers
• Signing Ceremonies ‑ Correspondence
• Small Business Administration

Box 11 - Subject File

• Staff Secretary ‑ Memoranda
• State of the Union ‑ 1975
• Strip Mining Legislation
• Sugar Quotas ‑ National Confectioners Association
• Tax Return Confidentiality
• Telephone Call Recommendations (1)‑(3)
• Tobacco Regulation (Cigarettes)
• Trade Reform Legislation (1)‑(3)
• Transportation Legislation
• United Nations
• Veterans Educational Benefits
• Vetoes and Pocket Vetoes

Box 12 - Subject File

• Vice President Rockefeller ‑ Confirmation (1)‑(2)
• Vice President Rockefeller ‑ Recommendations from the House (1)‑(2)
• Vice President Rockefeller ‑ Recommendations from the Senate
• Vice President Rockefeller ‑ Selection
• Whip Inflation Now (1)‑(3)
• White House Dinners ‑ Guest Lists
• White House Dinners ‑ Invitations (1)‑(3)
• White House Operations ‑ Memoranda
• White House Social Events ‑ Attendance Records
• White House Staff ‑ Miscellaneous: Memoranda
• White House Staff ‑ Speeches

Box 13 - Chron File

• 1974/08/09‑1974/10/04

Box 14 - Chron File

• 1974/10/05‑1974/12/31

Box 15 - Personal Correspondence

• A ‑ Invitations

Box 16 - Personal Correspondence

• Invitations ‑ Z

Box 17 - Personnel Files

• Active Personnel Cases, A‑J

Box 18 - Personnel Files

• Active Personnel Cases, L‑Z
• Boards and Commissions Subseries
  Boards and Commissions ‑ Miscellaneous
  Ambassadors
  American Battle Monuments Commission
  Atomic Energy Commission
  Biomedical Research Panel
  Clemency Board
  Commodity Futures Corporation

Box 19 - Personnel Files

• Boards and Commissions
  Council on Wage and Price Stability
  Dole Requests
  Federal Election Commission
  Federal Energy Administration
  Interstate Commerce Commission
  Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
  Legal Services Commission (1)‑(3)
  Library of Congress
  National Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice
  National Commission on Diabetes
  National Commission on Regulatory Reform
  National Commission on Supplies and Shortages
  National Conference Committee
  National Labor Relations Board
  National Park Service
  National Transportation Safety Board
  President's Commission on Olympic Sports
  President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
  Renegotiation Board
  Science Advisory Board
  U.S. Attorneys and Judges
  U.S. Capitol Historical Society
  Water Pollution Control Advisory Board

Box 20 - Personnel Files

• Boards and Commissions Subseries
  White House Conservatives
• Clearances of Personnel Appointments (1)‑(8)
• Closed Personnel Cases (1)‑(2)

Box 21 - Personnel Files

• Congressional Relations Appointments ‑ Commerce Department (1)‑(2)
• Congressional Relations Appointments ‑ Executive Agencies
• Memoranda to the White House Staff
• Pending Nominations (1)‑(3)
• Retiring Members of Congress ‑ Possible Appointments (1)‑(3)

Box 22 - Powell Moore Subject File

• Administration Spokesmen Requested
• Air Force One Seating
• American Enterprise Institute Publications
• Bicentennial Commemorative Plates
• Bills Received (1)‑(4)
• Bills Received ‑ Linder Action Memos
• Bills Received ‑ Veto Tabulations
• Blackburn, Ben
• Congressional Statistics
• Contract/Grant Notifications (1)‑(2)
• Disaster Relief (1)‑(2)

Box 23 - Powell Moore Subject File

• Disaster Relief (3)‑(6)
• Education Bill Signing Ceremony
• Energy Legislation (1)‑(4)
• Executive Protective Service Clearance
• Franz, Joe B.
• Furman University
• HEW Projects
• Jones, G. Paul
• Kennedy Center Schedule
• Messages from President Ford
• Moore Correspondence
• Moran, Miss Florence
• Nomination Notices
• Presidential Personnel Decisions
• Presidential Schedule Suggestions
• Presidential Representatives to International Conferences (1)‑(2)
• Press Office ‑ Briefings and Miscellaneous
• Stark, Gus
• University of Georgia Glee Club
• Vinson, Carl
• White House Fellows
• White House Tour Requests