A photograph of US Congressman Les AuCoin meeting with members of the Oregon School Boards Association in his office in Washington, D.C. in the early to mid-1980s. An accompanying typewritten note states: "Edith Lippert, of Hillsboro (far left), joined other members of the Oregon School Boards Association in a Washington meeting January 28 with First District Congressman Les AuCoin. Ms. Lippert, who is President-Elect of the organization, is also a member of the Hillsboro Elementary School District. The Washington meeting focused on federal assistance for public education at the elementary and secondadry levels.
US Congressman AuCoin in front of the U.S. Capitol with Newberg and Hillsboro high school students in the 1980s. A typewritten note accompanying the photograph states: "Newberg and Hillsboro high school students visited the nation's capital for a first-hand look at the workings of the federal government. The trip included a meeting with Oregon Congressman Les AuCoin, who took them on a tour of the Capitol." The note additionally lists the students from Hillsboro as Sara Crisman, Mary Erwin, and William Harp, and the students from Newberg as Laura Mosier, Elizabeth Edwards, Gary Bertrand, Danna Kimball, Daven Rosener, Stephanie Johnson, Pamala Drysdale, Sean Kiache, and Kellie Hutchinson.
US Congressman Les AuCoin's 37-page-long journal describing the immediate months following his win in the 1974 US House of Representatives election. Providing a picture of how Congress operates behind the scenes, AuCoin writes in detail about his transition from Oregon to Washington, D.C.; the process of hiring congressional staff; attending the Democratic mini-Convention in Kansas City; him, his wife Sue, and their children Stacy and Kelly moving into a condominium apartment in Washington, D.C. from their house in Forest Grove, Oregon; the attention he received from the media and fellow politicians; the four-day train trip through America's heartland; his swearing-in ceremony on the US House floor; attending President Gerald Ford's State of the Union address; his first markup session in the Banking, Currency, and Housing Committee; his first time successfully legislating with the Emergency Middle-Income Housing Act in the Housing Subcommittee; scheduling town meetings back home for his constituents, writing a letter to one of his campaign staff's sons to encourage him to finish high school; his first embassy party with his wife Sue at the West Germany embassy; and congressional discussions on the Vietnam Humanitarian Assistance and Evacuation Act of 1975. On the Democratic Party in 1975, AuCoin stated: "All of which means, in my judgement, that there must be a new dogma in the Democratic Party -- a new impetus for cost-consciousness and performance accountability in government programs. The old pork chop vote of the New Deal days is gone forever. You just can't spend a million dollars for this, or that -- or create a new federal office for this, or that -- and win the hearts and minds of the voters in either party today.... People just distrust government -- they distrust its morality and ethics and they distrust its ability to solve problems....Certainly, the party cannot thrive in the '70s and '80s if, intellectually, it's still serving warmed-over New Dealism."
An audio recording by Oregon Congressman Les AuCoin on spending the day in Washington, D.C. with his actor son, Kelly AuCoin. In the recording, AuCoin discusses the difficulties of seeing his son while living on different sides of the country, reflects on watching his son getting older, and shares how he and his son always find the time to crack jokes with one another. This is one episode from AuCoin's biweekly radio show on Jefferson Public Radio (JPR), which ran after he had retired from office. The majority of episodes feature his commentary on current political events, often focusing on issues important to southern Oregon where JPR is based. This episode aired in 2002.
A draft version of a statement by U.S. Congressman Les AuCoin titled "Tribute to Howard Tihila, Outstanding Oregon Native" and eventually submitted to the Extension of Remarks. In his statement, U.S. Congressman Les AuCoin paid tribute to Howard "Nig" Tihila, an Astoria, Oregon native who was inducted into George Washington University's Athletic Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C. for his time on the university's football team in the 1930s. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. AuCoin served in the Oregon House of Representatives (1971-1975) and in the United States House of Representatives from Oregon's 1st District (1975-1993).
On August 2nd, 1989, AuCoin gave what became known as his “Take Names and Kick Ankles” speech. The statement was in response to an amendment proposed by Representative Robert Dornan, Republican from California, to prevent the use of public funds for abortion in the District of Columbia. From his seat on the House Appropriations Committee, AuCoin led the debate, declaring that Congress could no longer pass anti-abortion policy without political backlash. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives, and it can be found in Box 10, Folder 8.
Article originally published in the New York Times Magazine on August 31st, 1975. The article, written by James Naughton, discusses the batch of new representatives elected to the House in 1974, focusing on Representative Les AuCoin in particular. For the article, Representative AuCoin kept a journal for his first 8 months in office, reflecting on his experiences in and perspective on Congress. AuCoin was reelected another 8 times, serving in the House for 18 years. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives.
Letter from Malcolm Wilkey, Special Counsel to the Attorney General, clearing Representative Les AuCoin of any criminal violations regarding the House Bank. In 1991 a government audit of the bank, where House members could deposit paychecks, showed hundreds of members with overdrafts on their accounts. Further investigation eventually revealed that, while a few members intentionally abused the bank, many of these overdrafts were caused by the bank’s delay in processing deposits. In this letter from September 18th, 1992, the US Department of Justice cleared AuCoin of any wrongdoing with the bank. The House Bank was a major issue in the 1992 election, and AuCoin's involvement was frequently attacked by political opponents.This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_137 for a statement by AuCoin addressing the House Bank audit.
Copy of the Joint Resolution preventing funding for tests of the anti-satellite weapons in space until the Soviet Union performs a similar test in space. The resolution is signed by President Ronald Reagan and approved on December 19th, 1985. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives.
Letter from then-Senator Joe Biden to Representative Les AuCoin, thanking AuCoin for his support of a arms control statement. In the letter, Biden also thanks AuCoin's aide Bob Sherman for his help in drafting the statement.This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives.
Letter from Representative Morris Udall of Arizona to Representative Les AuCoin celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on December 2nd, 1980. The act, which AuCoin supported and helped draft, provided environmental protection for over 157 million acres of land. The act was introduced by Representative Udall and signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on December 2nd, 1980. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives.
Article written by Representative Les AuCoin discussing his changing perspective on the National Rifle Association and his support for the Brady Bill. The Brady Bill, a short name for the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, mandated background checks and a waiting period for firearm purchases. Representative AuCoin had previously argued against gun control, but this 1991 article in the Washington Post marked a significant change in his position. This document is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives.
Two form letters addressing the case of Naum Chernobelsky. The first letter is a "dear colleague" letter from November 1987, requesting that members of congress sign the second letter, which asks Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the Soviet Union, to begin the emigration process for Naum Chernobelsky. The Chernobelskys were a Ukrainian Jewish family of "refuseniks," an unofficial term for individuals, most commonly Soviet Jews, whose requests to emigrate from the Soviet Union were denied by officials. In the case of the Chernobelsky family, Naum's parents and sister were able to emigrate to Portland, Oregon in 1979, but he, his wife, and his children were not permitted to leave the Soviet Union. In February 1986, Naum's sister Raisa requested help from Representative AuCoin, who spent the next 2 years lobbying the Soviet Union for Naum Chernobelsky's release. Naum and his family were eventually allowed to emigrate from the Soviet Union to the United States in late 1988. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_111 through PUA_MS147_113 for other materials related to the Chernobelsky family.
Document titled "STARTing Dangerous New Soviet Weapons" prepared by Representative Les AuCoin. The document includes an explanation of START, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union, and charts outlining the impacts of the treaty. Chart one compares the advertised and actual impact on counterforce capability. Chart two compares the impact of nuclear freeze and nuclear build-down on Soviet weapons. Chart three illustrates the effect of Soviet first strike capability on U.S. ICBM warheads. Using these charts, Representative AuCoin argues that START's Build-Down schedule would not sufficiently reduced the threat of nuclear war. Based on the charts, this document was prepared in 1983, shortly after START negotiations with the Soviet Union began. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
Issue Report mailing produced by the office of Representative Les AuCoin on March 20th, 1985. The mailing includes a letter from Representative AuCoin updating voters on upcoming votes on funding MX missiles. The mailing also includes a copy of a recent article in the Washington Post written by Representative AuCoin titled "The Seductive Mirage of a Vulnerable Weapon". This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
Press release from the office of Representative Les AuCoin on November 18th, 1983. The release argues that the Reagan Administration's "build-down" plan would actually increase the number of first-strike nuclear weapons in the United States. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
Pamphlet titled "To Combat the Menace of Nuclear War" produced by the Council for a Livable World. Founded in 1962, the Council for a Livable World is a non-profit organization dedicated to nuclear disarmament. This pamphlet outlines recent work of the organization with congressional elections, and it was likely published in 1986. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
Pamphlet titled "What we don't know about the Nuclear Arms Race could destroy us all" produced by the Council for a Livable World Education Fund. Founded in 1962, the Council for a Livable World is a non-profit organization dedicated to nuclear disarmament. The Education Fund focused on educating the American public through pamphlets, books, symposiums, and public talks. This pamphlet outlines recent work of the organization, and it was likely published in the early 1980s. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
Statement by Representative Les AuCoin on November 14th, 1991 about the introduction of the Nuclear Weapons Production Termination Act. The act would have prohibited further production of tritium, plutonium, and highly enriched uranium for weapons and allocated the money saved to cleaning up environmental damaged caused by earlier production of nuclear weapons. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_104 for an overview of the bill. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
A summary of the Nuclear Weapon Material Production Termination Act, which was introduced by Representative Les AuCoin on November 18th, 1991. The act would have prohibited further production of tritium, plutonium, and highly enriched uranium for weapons and allocated the money saved to cleaning up environmental damaged caused by earlier production of nuclear weapons. This document discusses details of the bills, including descriptions of the nuclear materials, budget, and impact of the bill. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_105 for statement by Representative AuCoin on the Nuclear Weapon Material Production Termination Act. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
Form letter from Representative Les AuCoin discussing his decision to join the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. The letter, written on January 27th, 1983, expresses Representative AuCoin's reasons for joining the committee and his commitment to a nuclear freeze. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
Form letter from Representative Les AuCoin to voters, asking for their support for the Nuclear Freeze resolution. The letter, written March 23rd, 1983, discusses recent the debate in the House on the resolution, which ended in a filibuster. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
A copy of The AuCoin Report titled "MX: Missile Without A Mission". The AuCoin Report was a newsletter produced by the office of Representative Les AuCoin to update Oregon voters about his work in Congress. This newsletter, from July 1983, discusses Representative AuCoin's opposition to the MX missile. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
Article by Representative Les AuCoin published on May 23rd, 1984 in the Washington Post. The article responds to a May 16th column by Representative Les Aspin which asked "How Many MXs?". In the article, Representative AuCoin disagrees with Representative Aspin and argues that the MX missile would provoke nuclear war, rather than deterring it. This is one of a collection of digitized objects from the Les AuCoin Papers (MS.147) at the Pacific University Archives. See also PUA_MS147_93 through PUA_MS147_110 for other materials related to nuclear arms control.
