For Immediate Release, September 26, 2003

"Ray LaHood to Donate Papers to The Dirksen Center"

PEKIN - Congressman Ray LaHood announced his intention to donate his congressional papers to The Dirksen Center Friday evening at the dedication of The Center's new $1.6 million facility.

"Congressman LaHood's decision reinforces The Center's long-term viability as a research center," stated Frank Mackaman, a Center staff member. "It ensures that we have the uninterrupted documentary record of this district's congressional representation since 1933 -- that's 70 years and counting," he noted.

Congressman Ray LaHood is serving his fifth term in Congress. He represents the people of the 18th Congressional District of Illinois, which is largely the same district Abraham Lincoln represented during his service in Congress.

For the 108th Congress, Ray continues his service on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, the panel that oversees federal discretionary spending, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is the Chairman of the Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee and Vice Chairman of the Intelligence Policy and National Security Subcommittee for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Within the House Appropriations Committee, Ray serves on the Agriculture and Legislative Subcommittees, as well as the Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Subcommittee. He is Vice Chairman of the Legislative Subcommittee.

"Central Illinois has produced a long line of distinguished public servants - Scott Lucas of Havana, Everett Dirksen of Pekin, and Bob Michel of Peoria," Mackaman said. "Congressman LaHood is poised by position and reputation to join that impressive list." The Center houses the papers of the late Senate Minority Leader Everett McKinley Dirksen and former House Republican Leader Robert H. Michel.

The Center is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational and research organization devoted to helping people better understand the U.S. Congress, its members and leaders, its processes and procedures, and the public policies it produces.

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