Rockefeller Legacy Memos Now Available Online
Posted by Jane Metters LaBarbara.April 4th, 2016
By Danielle Emerling, Assistant Curator
The West Virginia & Regional History Center is pleased to announce the opening of the Rockefeller Legacy Memos, part of the Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV congressional collection.
The Legacy Memos provide a comprehensive overview of Senator Jay Rockefeller’s service and accomplishments in several important issue areas in which he worked during his 30-year career in the U.S. Senate, 1985-2015, as well as during his time as Governor of West Virginia, 1977-1985. They highlight major initiatives and legislation, such as the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); treatment of service related illnesses, such as Gulf War Illness; the Coal Act of 1992; the Public Safety Spectrum Act; and many others.
“A Record of Achievement for West Virginia: Diversifying West Virginia’s Economy for the 21st Century (Your Legacy Memo on Jobs and Economic Growth in West Virginia),” Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV papers
Drawing on interviews, press statements, speeches, articles, and personal accounts, Rockefeller office staff members compiled the memos in 2013 and 2014 following the Senator’s announcement that he would retire from Congress.
The twelve memos are available online and cover a range of topics, including:
Support for West Virginia Businesses and Communities
Energy, Environment and Coal Miners
Children, Families, and Students
West Virginia Wesleyan College
Freight Rail Industry and Surface Transportation Board
FirstNet – Public Safety Spectrum Act
Jobs and Economic Growth in West Virginia
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
The Legacy Memos are a part of the Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV papers, which were donated to the WVU Libraries’ West Virginia & Regional History Center in 2014. To learn more about Senator Rockefeller and his Senate career, visit the Center’s “Jay Rockefeller” website at https://rockefeller.lib.wvu.edu.