The Joseph M. Montoya Papers document Montoya's career in politics, primarily in the U. S. House of Representatives and U. S. Senate. The collection contains administrative files, correspondence, legislation, reports, speeches, press releases, campaign materials, and news clippings. The collection is divided into 10 overlapping series. Biographical, 1957-1964: contains biographical information about Senator Montoya. Lt. Governor, 1937-1957: contains legislation, correspondence, speeches and other administrative materials related to Montoya's tenure as New Mexico's Lt. Governor (1955-1957). U. S. House of Representatives, 1913-1966: This series is further divided into 3 subseries. Administrative primarily contains general correspondence and invitations. Correspondence contains "official" correspondence, largely issue related, but there is also a section of general correspondence within this subseries. A myriad of issues are documented through correspondence including agriculture, gas tax, education, the Highway Department, and legislation. Agencies/Departments/Committees is by far the largest subseries containing correspondence, background information and files, reports, and legislation pertaining to the gamut of Montoya's House involvements. Agriculture (including the Bracero program), Armed Services, Appropriations, Atomic Energy Commission, Banking, Commerce, Defense (including White Sands and NM Air Force Bases), Education, Finance, Veterans, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Drug Administration, Foreign Relations, HEW (Health, Education and Welfare), HUD (Housing and Urban Development), Judiciary, Post Office, Ways and Means are a small sampling of agencies/departments represented in this subseries. Documentation of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and public works projects (Federal and New Mexico) are important and interesting components of this section. American Indian materials relate to the Navajo and Pueblo Indians and include the return of Blue Lake to Taos Pueblo. Documentation related to the Colorado River Storage Project, the San Juan-Chama Diversion Project, and the Navajo Irrigation Project is also contained in this subseries. U. S. Senate, 1957-1976, documents Montoya's involvements as a U. S. Senator. The series is divided into six subseries. Watergate: Montoya served on the Senate Watergate committee. Correspondence, reports (including from the Committee on Presidential Activities), legal documents, documentation of President Nixon's office recordings, media, and publications including press releases, speeches, news clippings, and ephemera all relating to the Watergate investigation are housed in this series. Internal Revenue Service: As chairman of the appropriations subcommittee that approved I.R.S. funds, Montoya spearheaded hearings on the agency's performance, which began in 1974. This subseries contains correspondence, background information, research, witness information, press coverage, and other data related to the I.R.S. investigation. Administrative: contains general correspondence such as invitations, thank you letters, memos, and mailing lists. Also included are documents relating to Montoya's travel, as well as files of Paul Demos, Montoya's administrative assistant. This section also contains grant award announcements for New Mexico by county, agency press releases pertaining to grants and general media messages. Agencies/Departments: consists primarily of correspondence with attached reports and literature pertaining to programs, requests, and inquiries. Communication is from constituents as well as agencies and serves to document the significant issues that Montoya was dealing with during his tenure in the Senate. Issues are wide ranging in scope, pertaining to both national and New Mexico interests. Department of Defense, Atomic Energy Commission, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Mines, and Bureau of Land Management are among the larger agencies and departments represented in this subseries.Projects: These files relate primarily to public works and economic development projects. New Mexico projects are arranged by county, by Pueblo and by Navajo Chapter. General projects include the Four Corners Regional Commission, education, Four Corners Power Plant, Rio Grande Water Salvage Project and rural electrification. National and international projects are included as well. Legislation: consists of reports, bills, statements, correspondence, requests/responses for information, and documentation of hearings pertaining to legislation. Legislation covers most areas of government, including agriculture, appropriations, civil rights, commerce, crime, defense/military, education, elections, energy, natural resources, postal service, public works, welfare, etc. Correspondence, 1962-1976: is divided into 2 subseries: General and Subjects/Issues. Much of the correspondence relates to legislation and is from constituents in New Mexico as well as interested parties across the country. Montoya's responses are usually included. Legislative History/Voting Records, 1957-1976: documents Montoya's voting record and contains records of the legislation that he sponsored and co-sponsored. Legislation pertains to a wide variety of topics including American Indians, bilingualism, consumer protection, crime, education, energy, environment, highways, immigration, poverty, post office, senior citizens, veterans, women, etc. Also included are several files of issue oriented "robo" letters, created for bulk mailing campaigns. Campaigns and Elections, 1939-1977 contains campaign literature, correspondence, media spots, and press releases as well as election results and letters of congratulations. Materials cover Montoya's runs for Lieutenant Governor, House of Representatives, and Senate, as well as materials relating to George McGovern's campaign for president. Communications, 1957-1976 includes speeches, remarks, press releases, statements and testimonials given by Joseph Montoya. Campaign speeches focus on New Mexico and Democratic Party issues. Speeches given by Montoya at special events are also included in this series. Speeches cover many of the topics in earlier series, such as the aged, agriculture, American Indians, atomic energy, Mexican Americans, veterans, foreign relations, highways, public works, natural resources, housing, and health. This series also includes publications such as the Congressional Record, Montoya's newsletter (from Washington and New Mexico), and a small sampling of newsletters from interests around the state and nation. Democratic Party/Politics, 1956-1977 consists primarily of materials relating to the Democratic Party, both in New Mexico and nationally. Included are fact sheets, policy statements, party literature, opinion surveys and notices of events. Correspondence is interspersed within these files. News Clippings, 1937-1976 are divided into 2 groups: People/Subjects and Agencies. People relate primarily to New Mexico political figures such as David Cargo, Jerry Apodaca, Dennis Chavez, Pete Domenici, Manuel Lujan, and Bruce King. Subjects include activism, agriculture, American Indians, civil rights, environment, conservation, defense, Democratic Party (NM and US), economic development, education, foreign relations, health, history, labor, military, post office, natural resources, and the like. Clippings relating to agencies include Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Labor, Treasury, Public Works, Highway, State Police and Veterans. Clippings are predominantly from the Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque Tribune, and the New Mexican. There are also clippings from smaller town New Mexico newspapers as well as national newspapers. See also microfilmed scrapbooks of news clippings, ZIM CSWR MSS 386 reels 1-6.
