Robert N. Giaimo Papers

Collection

Identifier: 1980-0003

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The collection documents the activities and interests of Robert Nicholas Giaimo, Third District Congressman for the 86th - 96th Congresses. The papers contain correspondence to and from constituents on legislation, subject files on proposed legislation, press releases and statements, scrapbooks, photographs, and sound recordings. The materials are a useful resource for examining the legislative process, as well as those issues of national and regional significance to the people of Connecticut. Subjects included in Series III, Legislative Correspondence include: General Powers, Consumer Affairs, Product Safety, Defense and National Security, Domestic Economy, Education, Environment, General Government, Health and Safety, House of Representatives, Housing and City Problems, International Relations, Judiciary Procedures, Labor-Management, Lobbyists and Pressure Groups, Poverty Programs, Social Security, Tariff and Trade, Taxation, Transportation, Veterans and Welfare. The House of Representatives section has been further divided into two subsections: First Session and Second Session. Subjects receiving the most attention include energy resources, gas crisis, abortion (“population control”), inflation, Watergate, impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon and Nixon's pardon. Also of interest is some of the correspondence in the Civil Rights/General file concerning the seventy day occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota by members of the American Indian Movement (AIM).

Of interest within the Committee files are those relating to his position on funding for the Vietnam War and the extension of the war into Cambodia (found in 93rd Congress files, 1973-1974). Congressional Operations Committee files contain a notebook entitled “The Legislative Role of Congress in Gathering and Disclosing Information.” Also of note, the Select Committee on Intelligence files contain data concerning the CIA and include newspaper clippings on the CIA, FBI>, political assassinations, intelligence recommendations and proposals.

Information on Giaimo's public position on issues and events can be found in Series VI, Press releases and Statements.

Several photographs of Mr. Giaimo have been digitized and are available in the Library digital repository.

Dates

undated, 1956-1981

Access

The collection is open and available for research.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright retained by donor. Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from the owner(s) of the copyright. The contents of the collection are “never to be used in any manner by any person so as to defame or degrade any other person or entity or to invade the privacy of any person.”

Biography

Son of Rosario and Rose Scarpulla Giaimo, Robert Nicholas Giaimo was raised in North Haven, CT. He earned his A.B. from Fordham University (1941) and his LL.B. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1943. Giaimo married Marion Shuenemann of Windsor, CT, in 1945.

Giaimo was a member of the 86th-96th Congresses from the Third District of Connecticut (New Haven area) from 1958-1980. During his twenty-two years, he served on the House Budget Committee, the House Commission on Information and Facilities, the Joint Committee on Intelligence, the House Appropriations Committee, and its subcommittees on Department of Defense, District of Columbia, Treasury Postal Service and General Government, Legislative Branch, and Housing and Urban Development.

Robert N. Giaimo made many contributions during his 22 years in Congress. Among the most noteworthy are: co-sponsoring a bill that led to the creation of the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities; leading the first successful effort to end funds for the fighting in Indochina; sponsoring a provision for eliminating the loyalty oath in the National Defense Education Act; and working for the inclusion of the old New Haven Railroad in the Penn Central merger.

Extent

280 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Robert Nicholas was raised in North Haven, CT. Giaimo was a member of the 86th-96th Congresses from the Third District of Connecticut (New Haven area) from 1958-1980. During his twenty-two years, he served on the House Budget Committee, the House Commission on Information and Facilities, the Joint Committee on Intelligence, the House Appropriations Committee, and its subcommittees on Department of Defense, District of Columbia, Treasury Postal Service and General Government, Legislative Branch, and Housing and Urban Development.

Arrangement

Series I: Voting Records (1958-1981) contains the official voting Record and ratings by special interest groups. Arranged chronologically by congressional session and alphabetically therein.

Series II: Legislation (1958-1981) contains copies of bills submitted or co-sponsored by Giaimo. Also includes agency reports, brochures, studies and other materials relevant to the proposed legislation, and constituent correspondence. A list of bills submitted accompanies the 86th - 87th and 89th - 92nd Congresses. There is a listing by topic of all bills submitted for all Congresses. The bills are divided into four types and are arranged by bill number within each type for each congressional session. The four types are: House Resolutions (HR), House Concurrent Resolutions (H.Con.Res.), House Resolutions (H.Res.), and House Joint Resolutions (H.J.Res.). The first box of this series (Box 4) contains bill summary sheets and a notebook of Giaimo proposed legislation.

Series III: Legislative Correspondence (1973-1981) consists of constituent correspondence regarding legislation and replies. Also included are clippings and publications. The files are arranged alphabetically within each session. General headings include: General Powers, Consumer Affairs, Product Safety, Defense and National Security, Domestic Economy, Education, Environment, General Government, Health and Safety, House of Representatives, Housing and City Problems, International Relations, Judiciary Procedures, Labor-Management, Lobbyists and Pressure Groups, Poverty Programs, Social Security, Tariff and Trade, Taxation, Transportation, Veterans and Welfare. The House of Representatives section has been further divided into two subsections: First Session and Second Session. Subjects receiving the most attention include energy resources, gas crisis, abortion (“population control”), inflation, Watergate, impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon and Nixon's pardon. Also of interest is some of the correspondence in the Civil Rights/ General file concerning the seventy day occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota by members of the American Indian Movement (AIM).

Series IV: Committee Files (1961-1981) has five subseries: House Budget Committee, Appropriations Committee, Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, House Committee on Information and Facilities, Joint Committee on Coinage, Congressional Operations Committee, and Select Committee on Intelligence.

Series V: Outgoing Correspondence (1959-1980) contains copies of Giaimo's letters to constituents, federal agencies and branches, congressional committees, and other civic and political organizations. Arranged chronologically and alphabetically therein.

Series VI: Press Releases and Statements (1959-1980) includes releases and statements issued by Giaimo's office arranged chronologically.

Series VII: Project Files (1962-1980). The series includes materials in various municipalities, business agencies, and services which sought federal funding, in addition to constituent correspondence, clippings, subject files and publications. Includes four subseries: Connecticut Federal Grants and Contract Awards, Third District Towns, Case Files and Religious Cults.

Series VIII: Personal Papers (1961-1980) documents Giaimo's non-Congressional interests and activities. Subseries: United Democrats of Congress, (Henry) Jackson for President, Thank Yous and Praise, Tributes.

Series IX: Audio Visual Records (1956-1980)is divided into five subseries: Photographs, Reel to Reel Tapes, 16mm films, Cassettes and Videotapes. These materials support and supplement other series within the collection.

Series X: Plaques (1961-1978) given in recognition of Giaimo's work and support for the activities of specific agencies or organizations.

Series XI: Office Guest Books and Appointment Books (1959-1980). The appointment books are flagged for microfilming. The flags should not be removed.

Series XII: Scrapbooks (1956-1978). 21 books contain clippings, 4 contain photographs.

Acquisition Information

The papers were given to the University of Connecticut in December 1980 by Robert N. Giaimo.

Existence and Location of Copies

Several photographs have been digitized and are available in the library's digital repository.

Subjects

Administrative records Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Arts Subject Source: Fast
Audio visual materials Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Budget Subject Source: Fast
Budget--Law and legislation Subject Source: Fast
Committees Subject Source: Fast
Connecticut (state) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Endowments Subject Source: Fast
Expenditures, Public Subject Source: Fast
Financial records Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Humanities Subject Source: Fast
Indochina (general region) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
Intelligence service Subject Source: Fast
Legislation Subject Source: Fast
Legislative bodies Subject Source: Fast
Loyalty oaths Subject Source: Fast
New Haven (inhabited place) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
North Haven (inhabited place) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Political participation Subject Source: Fast
Politicians Subject Source: Fast
Publications (documents) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Scrapbooks Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
United States (nation) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
Video recordings Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Vietnam War (1961-1975) Subject Source: Fast