Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

The collection is without restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

L. F. Payne, Jr. Papers, 1987-1996, Accession #11270, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

L.F. Payne, Jr. of Wintergreen, Virginia, gave these papers to the University of Virginia Library on December 18, 1996.

Biographical/Historical Information

Prior to 1992, L.F. Payne served on the House of Representatives Public Works and Transportation Committee and the House Budget Committee. In 1992, Payne was appointed to the Ways & Means Committee. Bills introduced into the 103rd Congress by L.F. Payne include: H.R. 5070, H.R. 3106, H.R. 2759, H.R. 2383, H.R. 2384, H.R. 2385, H.R. 2031, H.R. 1939, H.R. 997, H.R. 860, and H.R. 789.

Lewis Franklin Payne, Jr., was born in Amherst County, Virginia, on July 9, 1945, and attended the Amherst County public schools. Payne received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute in 1967, and his M.B.A. from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in 1973, after serving as a company commander in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, 1968-1970, and three years in the U.S. Army Reserves. He worked as a staff engineering associate with the C & P Telephone Company, 1970-1971; and a planning and development manager of Wintergreen Development Company, Inc., Wintergreen, Virginia, (1973- 1975); later serving as president (1976-1985) and chairman of the board (1985-1988).

Payne is also on the Board of Directors of the Patrick Henry Boys Foundation, a member of the American Legion Post 16 in Lynchburg, and a trustee of the Rockfish Presbyterian Church in Nellysford, Virginia. As president of the Nelson County Community Development Foundation, Payne developed Montreal Village in Nelson County, Virginia, to promote homes for low and middle income families. Montreal Village won the Department of Housing and Urban Development Certification of National Merit in 1989.

Payne was elected as a Democrat to the 100th Congress, June 14, 1988, by special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Wilbur Clarence (Dan) Daniel and served from 1988 to 1996, when he resigned to run in the election for Lt. Governor of Virginia. From 1990-1992, Payne served on the Veteran's Affairs Committee and the House Public Works and Transportation Committee where he was instrumental in achieving reforms to the federal highway funding formulas that increased Virginia's allocation of highway funds.

During the 102nd Congress, he served on the House Budget Committee, as a leading proponent of the Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the line-item veto, and a seven year balanced budget plan developed in 1995 by the "Coalition," a group of moderate-to-conservative House Democrats that Payne helped establish in the 104th Congress, whose members are known as "Blue Dog Democrats." From 1993 until 1996, Payne was a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, serving on its Social Security and Trade subcommittees. L.F. Payne is married to Susan King and they have four children, Graham, Hunter, Sara, and Anna Payne.

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of the congressional papers of Representative L.F. Payne, Jr., 1987-1996, ca. 4,500 items pertaining to Payne's career from the 5th District of Virginia, including press releases; newsletters; committee and subcommittee reports, documents, reports, memoranda, minutes, correspondence, and transcripts of testimony from hearings.

Organization

The collection is divided into two series: I. Columns and Press Releases and II. Legislative Files.