"For good oversight, developing relationships with reporters is absolutely critical for a whole bunch of reasons."
"So if I wasn't doing something, and I was interested in the subject that was going on, I would walk in there and listen."
"I always felt my value to the committee was gone when I played politics."
Since 1976 the Senate Historical Office has conducted interviews with senators and staff. The mission of this project is to document and preserve the individual histories of a diverse group of personalities who witnessed events firsthand and offer a unique perspective on Senate history, many of whom may otherwise be missed by biographers, historians, and other scholars. These interviews cover the breadth of the 20th century and now the 21st century. The recording and preservation of these individual oral histories will lead to a fuller and richer understanding of the history of the Senate and of its role in governing the nation.
Transcripts of open interviews are available at the Senate Historical Office, and copies are deposited in the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the senatorial manuscript collections and appropriate presidential libraries. Select interviews are available on the U.S. Senate website.
For more information about the United States Senate Oral History Project, contact the Senate Historical Office at (202) 224-6900 or via email at historian@sec.senate.gov.
Filter Interviews
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Interviewee | Position | Years of Service | Events | Subjects * | Position Categories | Years Range |
Arenberg, Richard A. | Staff to Senators Paul E. Tsongas, George J. Mitchell, and Carl Levin | 1975–2009 | Watergate, Vietnam War, 1980 election, September 11, 2001 | Impeachment, Investigations and Oversight, Nominations, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process | Personal Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Attig, Francis J. | Official Reporter of Debates | 1952–1974 | Investigations and Oversight | Floor Support Staff | 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 | |
Bageant, Larry (not available online) | Correspondence Manager for Senators H. John Heinz, John B. Breaux, Edward M. Kennedy, Paul G. Kirk, and Scott P. Brown | 1983–2013 | 1980 election, September 11, 2001 | Personal Staff | 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 | |
Baker, Richard A. | Senate Historian | 1975–2009 | Watergate, Vietnam War, September 11, 2001 | U.S. Capitol Complex, Impeachment, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process | Administrative Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Baker, Robert G. (not available online) | Senate Page; Chief Telephone Page; Democratic Party Secretary | 1942–1963 | Vietnam War | U.S. Capitol Complex, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Civil Rights, Leadership, Ethics | Party/Leadership Staff, Floor Support Staff, Pages | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969 |
Ballard, Leonard H. | Inspector, U.S. Capitol Police | 1947–1984 | Inaugurations | U.S. Capitol Complex | Floor Support Staff, Administrative Staff, Pages | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989 |
Brezina, Dennis W. | Legislative Assistant to Senator Gaylord A. Nelson | 1967–1971 | Vietnam War, September 11, 2001 | Investigations and Oversight, Women, National Security | Personal Staff, Committee staff | 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Burris, Roland W. (not available online) | U.S. Senator from Illinois | 20092010 | Inaugurations | Nominations, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process, African Americans, Civil Rights, Ethics | U.S. Senator | 2000–2009, 2010–2019 |
Caldwell, Charles Sergeant (not available online) | Staff to Senator Ralph W. Yarborough | 1957–1970 | Watergate, Vietnam War | Elections, African Americans, Civil Rights, Lobbying | Personal Staff | 1950–1959, 1960–1969 |
Capitol Telecommunications (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | Capitol Operators | 1970–2006 | September 11, 2001 | U.S. Capitol Complex, Impeachment | Administrative Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Casey, Gregory S. (not available online) | Chief of Staff to Senator Larry E. Craig; Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Majority Leader; Sergeant at Arms | 1991–1998 | Inaugurations | U.S. Capitol Complex, Ethics | Personal Staff, Party/Leadership Staff, Officers | 1990–1999 |
Church Committee (not available online) | Staff Members, Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities (Church Committee) | Committee staff | Investigations and Oversight, Foreign Policy, National Security | Committee staff | 1970–1979 | |
Detwiler, Donald J. | Senate Page | 1917–1918 | U.S. Capitol Complex | Floor Support Staff, Pages | ||
Edmisten, Rufus | Staff to Senator Samuel J. Ervin; Deputy Chief Counsel, Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities (Watergate Committee) | 1964–1974 | Watergate | Investigations and Oversight, Civil Rights, Lobbying | Personal Staff, Committee staff | 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Elson, Roy L. | Administrative Assistant to Senator Carl T. Hayden; Candidate for the U.S. Senate | 1955–1969 | Watergate | U.S. Capitol Complex, Elections, Civil Rights, Lobbying | Personal Staff | 1950–1959, 1960–1969 |
Ensley, Grover W. | Executive Director, Joint Economic Committee | 1949–1957 | Budget | Committee staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959 | |
Female Pages (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | First Female Senate Pages | 1971–1972 | Women | Floor Support Staff, Pages | 1970–1979 | |
Ferris, Charles D. | Staff Director, Senate Democratic Policy Committee | 1963–1977 | Watergate, Vietnam War | Impeachment, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process, Civil Rights | Party/Leadership Staff | 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Gold, Martin (not available online) | Counsel to Senator Mark O. Hatfield; Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; Senate Rules and Administration Committee; Senate Republican Leader | 1972–1982; 2003–2004 | Watergate, Vietnam War, 1980 election, September 11, 2001 | Investigations and Oversight, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process, Lobbying | Personal Staff, Committee staff, Party/Leadership Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Gustitus, Linda (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | Legislative Assistant to Senator Carl Levin; Chief Counsel and Staff Director, Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations; Chief of Staff to Senator Carl Levin | 1979–2003 | Investigations and Oversight, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Women, Lobbying | Personal Staff, Committee staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 | |
Hallen, Brian (not available online) | Senate Enrolling Clerk | 1986–1995 | Impeachment, Rules and Legislative Process | Floor Support Staff | 1980–1989, 1990–1999 | |
Hildenbrand, William F. | Assistant to Senator J. Caleb Boggs; Administrative Assistant to Senator Hugh D. Scott; Republican Party Secretary; Secretary of the Senate | 1961–1985 | Watergate, Vietnam War, 1980 election | U.S. Capitol Complex, Investigations and Oversight, Foreign Policy, Civil Rights, Lobbying | Personal Staff, Party/Leadership Staff, Officers | 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989 |
Hoagland, G. William | Staff Director, Senate Budget Committee; Advisor to the Senate Majority Leader | 1975–2007 | Vietnam War, September 11, 2001 | Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process, Budget, National Security | Committee staff, Party/Leadership Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Hoffman, F. Nordy | Sergeant at Arms | 1975–1981 | Vietnam War, 1980 election | U.S. Capitol Complex, Elections, Lobbying | Officers | 1970–1979, 1980–1989 |
Holt, Pat M. | Staff and Chief of Staff, Foreign Relations Committee | 1974–1977 | Watergate, Vietnam War | Foreign Policy | Committee staff | 1970–1979 |
Johnson, Michael A. | Senate Page; Staff, Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness; Deputy Assistant Sergeant at Arms | 1970–1974; 1978–2006 | Vietnam War, September 11, 2001 | U.S. Capitol Complex, African Americans | Officers, Floor Support Staff, Administrative Staff, Pages | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Johnston, Kelly D. (not available online) | Staff Director, Senate Republican Policy Committee; Secretary of the Senate | 1992–1996 | September 11, 2001 | U.S. Capitol Complex, Elections, Leadership, Lobbying | Party/Leadership Staff, Officers | 1990–1999 |
Kassebaum Baker, Nancy (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | U.S. Senator from Kansas | 1978–1997 | U.S. Capitol Complex, Elections, Women, Foreign Policy | U.S. Senator | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999 | |
Kaufman Edward E. (Ted) | Chief of Staff to Senator Joe Biden; U.S Senator from Delaware | 1973–1994; 2009–2010 | Impeachment, Investigations and Oversight, Nominations, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process, Women, Foreign Policy, National Security, Lobbying | U.S. Senator, Personal Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009, 2010–2019 | |
Kennedy, J. Keith (not available online) | Staff Director/Clerk, Senate Appropriations Committee; Deputy Senate Sergeant at Arms | 1972–1997; 2003–2006 | Vietnam War, 1980 election | U.S. Capitol Complex, Investigations and Oversight, Rules and Legislative Process, Budget, National Security | Committee staff, Floor Support Staff, Administrative Staff, Pages | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Ketchum, James Roe (not available online) | Senate Curator | 1970–1995 | Administrative Staff | 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999 | ||
Kimmitt, Joseph Stanley | Democratic Party Secretary; Secretary of the Senate | 1965–1981 | Vietnam War, 1980 election, September 11, 2001 | Foreign Policy, Civil Rights, Leadership, National Security | Party/Leadership Staff, Officers | 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989 |
Korologos, Tom C. (not available online) | Administrative Assistant to Senator Wallace F. Bennett; Senate Liaison in the Nixon and Ford Administrations; Consultant on the Confirmation of Nominations | 1962–1971; 1971–2003 | Watergate, Vietnam War | Impeachment, Nominations, Elections, Rules and Legislative Process, Civil Rights, National Security, Lobbying | Personal Staff, Administrative Staff | 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Lane, John D. | Administrative Assistant to Senator Brien McMahon | 1949–1952 | McCarthyism | Nominations, Elections, National Security, Lobbying | Personal Staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959 |
Letchworth, Elizabeth (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | Senate Page; Floor Assistant; Republican Party Secretary | 1975–2001 | 1980 election, September 11, 2001 | Impeachment, Rules and Legislative Process, Women | Party/Leadership Staff, Floor Support Staff, Pages | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Little, J. Franklin | Senate Page | 1910–1912 | U.S. Capitol Complex, Women | Floor Support Staff, Pages | ||
Ludlam, Chuck | Staff to Senators James G. Abourezk and Joseph I. Lieberman | 1975–2005 | Watergate, Vietnam War, September 11, 2001 | Impeachment, Investigations and Oversight, Nominations, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Women, Budget | Personal Staff, Committee staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Marcy, Carl M. | Chief of Staff, Senate Foreign Relations Committee | 1955–1973 | Vietnam War | Women, Foreign Policy, Lobbying | Committee staff | 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
McClure, Stewart E. | Chief Clerk, Senate Committee on Labor, Education, and Public Welfare | 1949–1973 | Watergate, Vietnam War | U.S. Capitol Complex, Elections, Rules and Legislative Process, Foreign Policy, National Security, Lobbying | Committee staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969 |
McCreary, Christine S. (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | Staff to Senators Stuart Symington and John Glenn | 1953–1998 | U.S. Capitol Complex, African Americans | Personal Staff | 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999 | |
McGeary, W. Scott | Senate Page | 1969–1973 | U.S. Capitol Complex | Floor Support Staff, Pages | 1960–1969, 1970–1979 | |
McGhee, Roy L. (not available online) | Superintendent, Senate Periodical Press Gallery | 1973–1991 | Watergate, Vietnam War | Elections, Rules and Legislative Process, Women | Administrative Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999 |
Moseley Braun, Carol (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | U.S. Senator from Illinois | 1993–1999 | Investigations and Oversight, Nominations, Elections, Rules and Legislative Process, Women, African Americans | U.S. Senator | 1990–1999 | |
Murphy, Richard W. | Legislative Assistant to Senator Hugh D. Scott | 1964–1969 | Vietnam War | Civil Rights | Personal Staff | 1960–1969 |
Nichols, Jesse R. | Government Documents Clerk and Librarian, Senate Committee on Finance | 1937–1971 | U.S. Capitol Complex, Budget, African Americans, Civil Rights | Committee staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 | |
Paone, Martin P. | Senate Democratic Cloakroom Staff; Democratic Party Secretary | 1979–2008 | 1980 election, September 11, 2001 | Nominations, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process, Budget, Lobbying | Party/Leadership Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Peek, Scott I. (not available online) | Administrative Assistant to Senator George A. Smathers | 1952–1963 | Elections, Lobbying | Personal Staff | 1950–1959, 1960–1969 | |
Rawls, W. Lee (not available online) | Staff Director to Senators Pete V. Domenici and William H. Frist | 1975–2005 | Vietnam War, September 11, 2001 | Filibuster and Cloture, Budget, Lobbying | Personal Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Reid, Warren Featherstone | Assistant to Senator Warren G. Magnuson | 1949–1981 | Vietnam War, 1980 election | U.S. Capitol Complex, Budget, Civil Rights, Lobbying | Personal Staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989 |
Riddick, Floyd M. | Senate Parliamentarian | 1947–1974 | McCarthyism | Impeachment, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process, Civil Rights | Floor Support Staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Ridgely, William A. | Senate Financial Clerk; Assistant Secretary of the Senate | 1949–1981 | Watergate, 1980 election | U.S. Capitol Complex | Party/Leadership Staff, Officers, Floor Support Staff, Administrative Staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989 |
Rynearson, Arthur J. | Office of the Senate Legislative Counsel | 1976–2003 | Vietnam War, 1980 election, September 11, 2001 | Rules and Legislative Process | Floor Support Staff, Administrative Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Scott, Dorothye G. (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | Administrative Assistant to the Democratic Party Secretary and to the Secretary of the Senate | 1945–1977 | Watergate, Inaugurations, McCarthyism | Elections, Women, Civil Rights, Leadership | Party/Leadership Staff, Administrative Staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Shuman, Howard E. | Legislative and Administrative Assistant to Senators Paul H. Douglas and William Proxmire | 1955–1983 | Watergate, Vietnam War, 1980 election | Filibuster and Cloture, Civil Rights, National Security | Personal Staff | 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989 |
Skvarla, Diane (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | Office of Senate Curator | 1979–1990, 1994–2014 | September 11, 2001 | Women, U.S. Capitol Complex | Administrative Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009, 2010–2019 |
Smathers, George A. | U.S. Senator from Florida | 1951–1969 | Watergate, Vietnam War, McCarthyism | Elections, Foreign Policy, Civil Rights, Leadership, Lobbying | U.S. Senator | 1950–1959, 1960–1969 |
St. Claire, Darrell | Aide to Senator Carl T. Hayden; Chief Clerk (later Assistant Secretary) of the Senate | 1933–1977 | Watergate, Vietnam War, McCarthyism | Foreign Policy, Leadership | Personal Staff, Party/Leadership Staff, Administrative Staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Tames, George | Washington Photographer for the New York Times | 1945–1985 | Civil Rights, Lobbying | Administrative Staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989 | |
Valeo, Francis R. | Staff, Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Aide to Senator Mike Mansfield; Democratic Party Secretary; Secretary of the Senate | 1952–1977 | Watergate, Vietnam War | Impeachment, Investigations and Oversight, Elections, Filibuster and Cloture, Rules and Legislative Process, Women, Foreign Policy, Civil Rights, Lobbying | Personal Staff, Party/Leadership Staff, Officers | 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Vander Zee, Rein J. | Assistant to the Senate Democratic Whip; Assistant Democratic Party Secretary | 1961–1964 | Vietnam War | Elections, Civil Rights, Leadership, Lobbying | Party/Leadership Staff | 1960–1969 |
Vastine, J. Robert | Staff Director, Senate Republican Conference | 1971–1975; 1982–1991 | Budget, Leadership, Ethics | Personal Staff, Committee staff, Party/Leadership Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999 | |
Verkler, Jerry T. | Chief of Staff, Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee | 1956–1974 | Watergate, Vietnam War | Civil Rights, Lobbying | Personal Staff, Committee staff | 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Watt, Ruth Young (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) | Chief Clerk, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations | 1948–1979 | Watergate, McCarthyism | Investigations and Oversight, Women | Committee staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979 |
Weiss, Leonard (not available online) | Staff Director, Subcommittee on Energy, Nuclear Proliferation, and Federal Services; Committee on Governmental Affairs | 1976–1999 | Investigations and Oversight, Rules and Legislative Process, Foreign Policy, National Security, Ethics | Personal Staff, Committee staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999 | |
West, Jade (Women of the Senate Oral History Project) (not available online) | Executive Director, Senate Steering Committee; Staff Director, Republican Policy Committee | 1982–2002 | Watergate, Vietnam War | Lobbying | Party/Leadership Staff | 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
Wilcox, Francis O. | Chief of Staff, Senate Foreign Relations Committee | 1947–1955 | Vietnam War, McCarthyism | Foreign Policy, National Security | Committee staff | 1940–1949, 1950–1959 |
Wineman, Timothy S. (not available online) | Senate Financial Clerk | 1970–2005 | 1980 election, September 11, 2001 | U.S. Capitol Complex, Rules and Legislative Process | Administrative Staff | 1970–1979, 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2009 |
* The subjects in this column represent a selection of commonly discussed topics in the Oral History Project, not an exhaustive list.