Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Governor Douglas Lawrence Wilder. Records of the Liaison Office, 1985-1994. Accession 35539. State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from Governor Lawrence Douglas Wilder on 31 October 1996.

Historical Information

The General Assembly established the Virginia Liaison Office in 1978 (Chapter 505, 1978 Acts) to be an institutional link between state and federal governments as well as Virginia and other states. The Virginia Liaison Office (VLO) represents the Governor before both Congress and the federal administration, advocating for the Commonwealth's interests in Washington, and monitoring federal developments that affect the state. The Office is responsible for monitoring and tracking federal legislation that is of interest to the Commonwealth and keeping the Governor's Office and state agencies up to date on the status of federal legislation and regulations. The Office is also tasked with influencing the development of federal legislation and regulations by keeping the Virginia Congressional Delegation informed about the Governor's priorities and maintaining contact with Congressional staffs, key federal agency official and public interest groups. Other duties include alerting state agencies and local government to federal grant opportunities and monitoring the progress of any grant applications, writing or advising on testimony to be presented by the Governor or state agency heads before Congressional committees, resolving administrative issues between state and federal agencies, and maintaining liaison with other states and interstate groups. The VLO is also required to report twice a year to the Senate Finance Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and to the Governor's Office on all federal mandates and regulations which may have an effect on the Commonwealth. In addition to this, the VLO also works with interstate and regional organizations in which the Governor participates, such as the National Governors' Association, Southern Governors' Association, Appalachian Regional Commission, Southern States Energy Board, Southern Regional Education Board, and the National Capital Region. During the administration of Governor Lawrence Douglas Wilder, Glenn K. Davidson (1990-1992) and Dian Copelin (1992-1994) served as the Director of the Virginia Liaison Office.

Scope and Content

Records, 1985-1994 (bulk 1990-1994) of the Liaison Office during the administration of Governor Lawrence Douglas Wilder. The collection is housed in 4 boxes and includes articles, correspondence, notes, reports, and other documents. Topics include U.S. military bases' potential closing and conversion; Virginia's congressional delegation; federal budget and state priorities therein; and federal legislation affecting health care, voting, taxation, transportation, and the environment. Records also relate to the state Attorney General's Office, state Policy Office, the National Governors Association, and the Southern Governors Association.