Last modified: Friday, December 28, 2012
Rep. Mike Pence donates congressional papers to IU's Modern Political Papers collection
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 28, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University and U.S. Rep. Mike Pence have reached an agreement to house Pence's congressional papers and memorabilia as part of IU's Modern Political Papers collection, located at the Herman B Wells Library on the Bloomington campus.
Pence, a Columbus, Ind., native and graduate of the IU McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis, completes his sixth term in Congress, representing Indiana's 6th House district, on Jan. 2, 2013, and will be sworn in as Indiana's next governor on Jan. 14, 2013. His congressional papers, which will be available on a limited basis for research purposes beginning in January, will join those of some of Indiana's leading post-World War II congressional members, including Lee Hamilton, Birch Bayh, Frank McCloskey and J. Edward Roush.
"It is a great honor and privilege to be able to donate my congressional papers to Indiana University as part of its Modern Political Papers collection," said Pence. "I am thankful to IU for stewarding such an outstanding collection and allowing me to be a part of it. I hope that my contribution, together with the papers already held in the collection, will help foster a greater understanding of Congress for future Hoosier students and researchers."
"We are extremely grateful that Congressman and Governor-elect Pence has chosen to donate his congressional papers to Indiana University," IU President Michael A. McRobbie said. "Congressman Pence's well-documented record of significant service and leadership in Congress make these materials especially valuable to the historical narrative of our state, and we are delighted that IU will become their permanent home."
Under the terms of the donation agreement, IU will receive the work papers from Pence's congressional office as well as from his tenure as chairman of the House Republican Conference in 2009-2010.
While much of the contents of the donation will remain sealed for at least 10 years or until after Pence's death, a number of items will be available starting early in 2013 for public display and for use by qualified academic researchers. Among the material that will be made immediately available: texts of more than 40 major speeches, House floor statements, blog entries, newsletters and detailed biographical information.
"It is an honor for IU Libraries to receive Governor-Elect Pence's congressional papers," said Brenda L. Johnson, Ruth Lilly Dean of University Libraries. "His papers will have an immediate impact on the breadth of our prestigious Modern Political Papers collection, providing a compelling record of Congressman Pence's service prior to his status as governor and serving as an important resource for today's political scholars as well as future generations of researchers."
