Collection ID: MPP 21
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Collection context

Summary

Creator:
Burton, Dan, 1938-
Abstract:
Danny Lee Burton (b. 1938) represented Indiana in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 2012. A member of the Republican Party, Dan Burton was elected to represent the 5th and 6th congressional districts of Indiana throughout his time in Congress. The collection consists of papers, audio-visual materials, and electronic records generated and received by the office of Congressman Dan Burton.
Extent:
123 linear feet (123 record cartons), 1049 Cassettes, and 6.97 gigabytes of electronic records
Language:
Materials are in English .
Preferred citation:

[item and date], [folder], [subseries, if any], [series], Dan Burton Congressional Papers, Modern Political Papers Collection, Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington, Indiana

Background

Biographical / Historical:

Danny Lee Burton was born June 21, 1938, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He graduated from Shortridge High School in 1957 and served in the United States Army and Army Reserve from 1957 to 1962. After active duty Army service he attended Indiana University and Cincinnati Bible College, graduating in 1960. Following graduation, Burton became a real estate broker and insurance agent. He served as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1967 to 1968 and from 1977 to 1980 and as a member of the Indiana State Senate from 1969 to 1970 and from 1981 to 1982.

In 1970, Burton was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Congress, losing to Democratic incumbent Andy Jacobs. The next term, he ran another unsuccessful campaign, losing in the Republican primary to George Hudnut. Burton was elected to represent Indiana's 6th District in 1982, defeating Democrat George Grabianowski. He served the 6th District, representing a large portion of eastern Indiana, including Muncie, Richmond, and a few suburbs of Indianapolis until 2002 when the state was redistricted. He would then serve the 5th District, representing the eastern and northern suburbs of Indianapolis, including Marion, Carmel, Shelbyville, Noblesville, and parts of Kokomo until his retirement in 2012.

Throughout his 30-year tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, Burton served on numerous committees, including the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Veterans Affairs. He served as Chairman of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight from 1997 to 2002 (105th-107th Congresses).

Burton was an advocate for autism awareness – to increase research into the causes and new treatments. During his tenure as Chairman of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight and as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness, he held numerous hearings on the topic, including the use of mercury and thimerosal in childhood vaccines. In the realm of foreign policy, Burton worked to strengthen the Cuban embargo, co-sponsoring the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996 (Helms-Burton Act), which extended the embargo to foreign companies trading with Cuba. From 2003 to 2007, he also worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass Johanna's Law, a bill designed to improve early detection of ovarian and other gynecological cancers.

Burton did not seek re-election in 2012 and retired from Congress on January 3, 2013. He was succeeded by Susan Brooks, the former Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Ivy Tech Community College.

Scope and Content:

The Dan Burton Congressional Papers span the dates 1983-2012. Records include files of legislative and office assistants; Burton's sponsored and cosponsored measures; press files, including clippings, press releases, newsletters, and a large volume of video; committee files, including those of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight and its Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness; and candidate surveys from congressional campaigns.

The collection consists of approximately 123 linear feet of paper records and 6.97 gigabytes of electronic records. The electronic records include constituent correspondence, photographs, and speeches, as well as staff files and other legislative working files. There is some overlap in coverage of topics between the paper records and electronic records. Electronic records are designated as such with the designation "(Electronic Records)" following the series, subseries, or folder label.

Acquisition information:
Gift, 2012.
Processing information:

Processed by Hope Grebner, assisted by Meg Galasso.

Completed in 2014.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into eight series and each has been arranged further into subseries.

Electronic Records are included in the container list at the folder level within the same series as the paper records.

  1. Constituent Services
  2. Foreign Affairs Committee Files
  3. Government Reform and Oversight Committee Files
  4. Legislative Activity Files
  5. Legislative Working Files
  6. Office Files
  7. Political Files
  8. Press Services Files
Physical facet:
video and audio

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

This collection is open for research, with the exception of official records of the House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, the House of Representatives Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia, which under House Rule VII must be restricted until 30 years from date of creation. The collection also includes investigative files that must remain closed for 50 years from the date of creation under House Rule VII. Opening dates for restricted files are indicated at the end of the listing for the Foreign Affairs Committee series and the Government Reform and Oversight Committee series.

The collection is housed in offsite storage; thus, arrangements for use must be made in advance.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Constituent correspondence and surveys may be used only after signing an agreement to protect correspondent privacy.

Photocopying and scanning are possible with permission.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[item and date], [folder], [subseries, if any], [series], Dan Burton Congressional Papers, Modern Political Papers Collection, Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington, Indiana

CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
Herman B Wells Library E460
1320 East Tenth Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7000, United States
CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
CONTACT:
812-855-1538
congpprs@indiana.edu