147 boxes; 12 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 5 inches
4 boxes; 12 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches
2 boxes; 10 x 15 x 12 inches
Arrangement
Legislation, district files, and correspondence. Arranged by size of the collection, subject, and date.
Inventory available online.
Contents
Collection consists of Congressman John Tanner's correspondence, records, and other documents while serving as a
Representative for the 8th Congressional District of Tennessee from 1988 to 200?. The collection also contains
information related to Congressman Tanner's service to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
History Note
Tanner was born in Halls, Tennessee, the son of Edith Adell (Sumners) and Emerson Beck “Buzz” Tanner. He grew up
in Union City, Tennessee. Following graduation from the University of Tennessee, he served in the United States
Navy from 1968 to 1972. He was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1976, replacing
Larry Bates, who mounted an unsuccessful primary challenge against U.S. Congressman Ed Jones.
Tanner announced on December 1, 2009, that he would not seek re-election in 2010 and would retire after 11 terms
in Congress. Tanner was a founder of the Blue Dog Democrats and was strongly in favor of balancing the budget and
paying down the national debt. He also supported affirmative action, public education, and expanding stem cell research.
Subject
Politicians - Tennessee
Politics - Tennessee
West Tennessee - Politics and government
West Tennessee - History - Sources
Tanner, John 1944
United States - Politics and Government - 1989 - 2011
Legislators - United States
Legislation - NATO, Blue Dog Democrats, Reelfoot Lake