Special Collections The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries Vol. XIX * No. 1 * Spring 2005

By Gary Spurr

Special Collections at The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Congressional papers of Martin Frost, thirteen term United States Representative of the 24^th Congressional District of Texas. The Frost papers comprise more than 400 linear feet of materials and document his Congressional career from 1979 to 2004. Due to redistricting in Texas, Frost ran for reelection in 2004 in the 32^nd Congressional District instead of the 24^th District. Because of this change in districts Frost faced another incumbent and was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection. Included in the material are Frost’s daily schedules, legislative correspondence, press clippings, photographs, video tapes, floor statements, weekly columns, and files on a number of issues of district and national importance.

Jonas Martin Frost was born in Glendale, California, in 1942. The son of an aerospace engineer, Frost grew up in Fort Worth and graduated in 1960 from R.L. Paschal High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Journalism from University of Missouri, 1964; and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, Washington D. C., 1970. Prior to entering law school, Frost worked as a journalist and was a staff writer for the Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report. Upon graduation from Georgetown University, Frost became a law clerk for United States Judge Sarah T. Hughes for the Northern District of Texas, began his law practice in Dallas, and appeared as a legal commentator for KERA Channel 13 until his election to Congress in 1978.

Frost was elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-sixth Congress and served in twelve successive Congresses (January 3, 1979 to January 3, 2005). As the representative from the 24^th Congressional District, Frost was the only member who represented portions of Dallas and Tarrant Counties. The 24^th District included parts of Dallas and Fort Worth as well as Arlington, Cedar Hill, Cockrell Hill, Duncanville, Grand Prairie, and Forest Hill. During his service in Congress, Frost was the Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, 1999-2003. In addition, Frost was the ranking Democratic member of the House Rules Committee, senior Southern Democrat in the House of Representatives, deputy majority whip, and a member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security. After the kidnapping and murder of an eleven year old girl from Arlington, Texas, Frost authored the Amber Hagerman Child Protection Act. With the success of the AMBER Alert program in North Texas, Frost co-authored the National AMBER Alert Act to establish a nationwide AMBER Alert program.

The Congressional papers of Martin Frost are an important addition to the Texas Political Archives at the University of Texas at Arlington. The Frost papers document twenty-five years of Congressional service and will be of interest to researchers on a number of issues affecting the north Texas area and the nation. Some of the issues are: the defense industry in north central Texas, healthcare, environmental issues, campaign finance, West Dallas housing in the 1980s, NAFTA, and the superconducting super collider.

The Martin Frost papers will be received in a number of shipments. For further information, please contact:

Gary Spurr
Archivist
Special Collections, UTA Libraries
P. O. Box 19497
Arlington, TX 76019-0497
817-272-7511 (phone)
817-272-3360 (fax)
Email: spurr@uta.edu

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This page last update on Wednesday, May 11, 2005