ROBERT K. WOLTHUIS FILES, 1974-77

The Robert Wolthuis files span the period November 1974 to January 1977. They document Wolthuis' work in the White House Congressional Relations Office.

Wolthuis, a former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs and administrative assistant to Sen. Wallace Bennett of Utah, joined the White House staff on January 1, 1975. Although his title changed several times, his primary responsibility remained the same for the duration of the Ford administration: to serve as chief deputy to Max Friedersdorf, the Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs and head of the Congressional Relations Office. Unlike other staff people in the office, Wolthuis did not work exclusively with Senators or Representatives. Rather, he handled broader legislative issues, directed the office in Friedersdorf's absence, and occasionally attended meetings in Friedersdorf's place.

The files' most significant documentation, including memoranda, correspondence, minutes and reports, relates to national security and foreign policy issues. Material on the Middle East covers the Turkish arms embargo, Arab boycott of firms dealing with Israel, and aid to Israel. For Vietnam, the material especially relates to a congressional fact finding trip in February 1975 and the follow‑up reports on the situation in Indochina. The files also include material on the 200 mile fishing limit and the Ford administration's response to investigations of U.S. intelligence activities. For many of these national security and foreign policy issues, and also for domestic concerns such as tax cuts and energy policy, the highest level documents are minutes of meetings which President Ford had with congressional leaders.

Other materials in the files cover a variety of domestic issues, routine administrative functions of the Congressional Relations Office, and Wolthuis' personal activities. In addition to the domestic topics covered in the legislative leadership meetings, there are scattered documents on bill signing ceremonies, military base realignments, and presidential letters of endorsement for candidates in the 1976 election. Office administrative items include a series of logs on bills received at the White House (November 1974‑October 1976) and congressional clearances for White House appointments (1975). The "Letters" folders contain Wolthuis' correspondence with members of Congress, and political, religious, and educational leaders in his home state of Utah.

Related Materials (January 1985)
The files of Wolthuis' colleagues in the Congressional Relations Office contain related material, especially covering the routine administrative functions of the office such as logs of bills received at the White House. Several categories in the White House Central Files relate to Wolthuis' activities and the substantive issues on which he was involved. Examples include FG 31-1 (Legislative Leadership Meetings), CO 1-7 (Middle East), CO 165-2 (South Vietnam), and FO 3-2/CO 156 (Mutual Security/Turkey).