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Mac Collins papers, 105 Congress

 Collection
Identifier: POL-0022-04

Scope and Contents note

This portion of the Mac Collins collection includes audiotapes, constituent inquiries, correspondence with many prominent Georgia and national politicians, financial records, legislative records, and press activity files, pertaining to Mac Collins third term in the United States House of Representatives from 1997 to 1999.

The constituent inquiries have been sampled for historical content and value. Constituent Inquiries were removed that did not have substantial content.

Dates

  • Majority of material found within Bulk, 1997-1998
  • 1993-2002

Creator

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access note

Open to all users; no restrictions (case files are closed for research until 2079).

Conditions Governing Use note

Copyright has been transferred to the University of West Georgia Library.

Biographical/Historical note

Mac Collins was born on October 15, 1944 in Jackson, Georgia. He attended Jackson High School, and afterwards he worked for his dad’s (Henry Collins) concrete company rather than attend college. He developed a passion to run a small business as a result of the success of his dad’s concrete mixing business. This decision also allowed him to marry his high school girlfriend, Julie Watkins. They had four children together. Mac Collins incorporated Collins Ready Mix Concrete, Inc., to Collins Trucking CO., Inc., and thus his business became focused on hauling timber. At its peaks, Collins Trucking CO., Inc., operated over thirty trucks that hauled timber for Georgia Pacific as part of an exclusive contract. In 1992, his son Michael (Mike) Collins purchased the company from him. Mac Collins was also a member of the Georgia Army National Guard from 1964 to 1970.

Mac Collins began his political career in 1977 as a Democrat, and he won election to the Butts County Commission. He served on the Butts County Commission until 1980 when he switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. He lost election to the Georgia State Senate in the 1984 and the 1986 elections. These defeats did not demoralize him, as he won election for the Georgia State Senate’s seventeenth district in 1988. His districted contained the counties of Butts, Clayton, and Henry. At the start of the 140 Georgia General Assembly, he was only one of eleven Republicans in the Georgia State Senate compared to forty-five Democrats.

Mac Collins served on the Special Judiciary committee, and he fought for stricter drug laws as part of the war on drugs. He sponsored different bills that would result in longer prison sentencings for those who were convicted of drug selling and trafficking. He also served on the Corrections committee, and he argued that more money needed to be spent on the prison system. According to him, the granting of early parole allowed for many dangerous criminals to be released back into society. He worked on the Education committee and asked for more state funding for school programs that work effectively.

In 1992, the Georgia General Assembly redistricted the Six Congressional District which was the old district of Republican Newt Gingrich. This act moved much of the former territory of Newt Gingrich to the district in which Mac Collins lived. Immediately, Collins declared himself a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, and he defeated Paul Broun in the Republican primary. He later won by over ten points versus incumbent Congressman Richard Ray in the General Election. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993-2004. In 2004, he ran unsuccessful in the Republican primary versus Johnny Isakson for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate. Mac Collins died on November 20, 2018, near Jackson, Georgia.

Extent

24.0 Linear feet (24 Boxes)

Overview

Legislative papers of Mac Collins, U.S. Representative from Georgia's 3rd Congressional District which later become part of Georgia's 8th Congressional District. The papers overall cover his terms from January 1993 to January 2005. This portion of the papers contains materials pertaining to the 105 Congress from January 1997 to January 1999.

Arrangement note

Arranged in seven series. Series I. Legislative Records. Subseries. Ways and Means Committee Subseries. Transportation Tax Task Force Series II. Press and Media Activity. Series III. Correspondence. Series IV. Constituent Inquiries. Series V. Photographs and Miscellaneous Series VI. Grant Requests

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Gift of Mac Collins, March 2009. The first transfer of papers occurred in December 2004.

Processing Information note

Processed by Cody Doegg, 2016; updated in 2023 by Danielle Jett. In 2023, the Mac Collins papers were weeded to discard materials that did not warrant retention. In POL-0022-04, 6 linear feet of clippings were discarded. This collection now consists of 24 boxes. The boxes were previously numbered 48-77, but are now 1-24.

Title
Guide to the Mac Collins papers POL-0022-04
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Cody Doegg; updated in 2023 by Danielle Jett.
Date
2016
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Description is in English

Repository Details

Part of the University of West Georgia Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Special Collections, Ingram Library
University of West Georgia
1601 Maple Street
Carrollton GA 30118-2000 United States