[2] In 1947, University of Wyoming trustees, influenced by concerns raised at a Michigan conference, initiated a "Red Scare" textbook review,[3] suspecting subversive content in school libraries.

[8] In 1952, McGee's journey toward internationalism was profoundly shaped when he took a one-year leave of absence from the University of Wyoming to serve as a Carnegie Research Fellow in New York with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

He believed that supporting these issues symbolized his commitment to the everyday concerns of constituents, such as gas station owners and ranchers, allowing him to pursue broader liberal goals in both domestic and foreign policy.

[25] The FLPMA and its amendments marked a critical shift in federal land management and mineral leasing, contributing to significant economic gains for western states dependent on energy resources.

[33][31] McGee promoted Wyoming's pivotal role in energy production, including oil shale and coal-derived fuels[29][34][32] and advocated for innovative practices like petroleum-based mulch to address agricultural challenges.

In 1963, McGee expressed concerns over falling cattle prices and rising food costs, which he attributed to national grocery chains monopolizing the market to the detriment of Western communities.

During the Senate Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee hearings on the nomination, McGee raised concerns about Strauss's transparency, particularly regarding his role in the Dixon–Yates contract, his relationship with businessmen and misleading testimony about several cases.

[75][76][77][78][79][80] McGee secured funding for trapping facilities and organized hearings to address the issue, culminating in a 1967 agreement with Interior Secretary Stewart Udall and Park Service Director George Hartzog to halt elk shootings.

[81] The Park Service adopted policies prioritizing live trapping and public engagement, reflecting McGee's efforts to balance conservation with humane practices and state collaboration in elk population management.

[87][88] With support from conservation organizations like the Sierra Club and guidance from his adviser Mike Leon, McGee proposed a moratorium to assess clearcutting's impact, arguing it was a damaging shortcut subsidizing the timber industry.

[128] As Chairman of the Post Office and Civil Service Committee starting in 1969, McGee introduced key legislation to improve federal employee compensation, retirement benefits, and labor relations.

Despite Senate approval following a historic filibuster, the bill faced criticism over costs, fraud risks, and threats to the two-party system and ultimately failed as the House took no action.

[142][143] Kennedy initially planned to bypass Wyoming in the general election due to its low electoral vote count, but McGee and Party Chairman Tracy McCraken convinced him otherwise.

He believed that continued violation of sanctions would jeopardize U.S. economic relations with black African nations, potentially leading to the loss of access to vital natural resources and export markets.

[194][195][196][197][198][199][200][201] In February 1960, McGee addressed the Senate, highlighting Vietnam's strategic importance and the challenges faced by the South Vietnamese government, defending President Diem's progress, especially in resettlement efforts.

[285] In 1971, following the New York Times' publication of the Pentagon Papers, McGee expressed concern that the release could harm U.S. credibility, strain alliances, and fuel adversarial propaganda, while also constituting a security breach.

In November 1961, McGee, along with Senators Clair Engle, Ted Moss and Stephen Young, undertook a trip to South America to report on developments in the region for President Kennedy.

"[345][346][347] In October 1962, Vice President Lyndon Johnson, during a visit to Casper to help Joe Hickey's re-election efforts,[348] privately warned McGee to temper his public statements, given the escalating situation just before the Cuban Missile Crisis.

[368] During his 1960 presidential campaign, Senator John F. Kennedy gave an impromptu speech at the University of Michigan, urging students to serve their country by living and working in developing nations.

Notably, they gained access to a Volgograd Tractor Plant, an area off-limits to American officials, including Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson who happened to be visiting the USSR at the same time.

Despite initial concerns that the trip might negatively impact his political career, McGee found that the public's interest in the Soviet Union, heightened by the launch of Sputnik, made his experience a valuable asset.

His talent earned him recognition, including a feature in Esquire Magazine, which referred to him as the Senate's most brilliant speaker, drawing parallels between McGee's dramatic style and that of historical figures like Henry Clay.

During a September visit, he appeared on the television program "All of America Wants to Know" with Senator Edmund Muskie, West Germany Mayor Willie Brandt, Sir William Hayter (Deputy Under Secretary of State for Great Britain), and Eugene Lyons (Reader's Digest Moscow correspondent).

A July 10, 1975 memo from then White House Chief of Staff Donald Rumsfeld to President Gerald Ford listed McGee as one of many potential candidates to be director of Central Intelligence.

[398] Highlighting his Senate seniority and roles on key committees, McGee defended his record of securing over $349 million in federal aid for Wyoming, countering accusations of "big spending.

July 2, 1964[419][420][421] PL 88-494 - (S. 51) An Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to relinquish to the State of Wyoming jurisdiction over those lands within the Medicine Bow National Forest known as the Pole Mountain District.

November 3, 1966 After his defeat by Malcolm Wallop, McGee was nominated by President Jimmy Carter as United States ambassador to the Organization of American States.McGee's expertise on Latin America and support for the Panama Canal Treaties made him a strategic choice for the role.

The firm offered a broad range of political and economic services to both domestic and international companies with a special emphasis on developing new business opportunities with the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The panel recommended a pathway to citizenship for refugees already in the US, expedited admission for Amerasian children fathered by US servicemen, and action to secure the release of former South Vietnamese officials imprisoned in re-education camps.

Collection includes digital materials relating to McGee's career as a U.S. senator, his work at the University of Wyoming and the Organization of American States, and his post public service and personal life.