(2021-0331-F) Robert Shapiro

17 folders, approximately 859 pages

This collection contains records sent to the White House from Robert J. Shapiro of the Progressive Policy Institute during President Clinton’s first term in office. Shapiro would later serve as President Clinton’s Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs. The records include correspondence and publications by Shapiro, focusing on economic policy development.

The materials in FOIA 2021-0331-F are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related material. Robert J. Shapiro was a principal economic advisor to Bill Clinton during the 1992 presidential campaign, and served as undersecretary of commerce for economic affairs during President Clinton’s second term. Through his career, Shapiro has advised many public officials and the senior executives of multiple Fortune 100 companies. He is one of the cofounders of the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) public policy think tank. This collection consists of correspondence between Robert J. Shapiro and the White House between January 20, 1993 and January 20, 1997. Most include Progressive Policy Institute policy reports or publications regarding budget strategy, taxation, and economic policy formation.

Textual

Records that are responsive to this FOIA request were found in these collection areas—Clinton Presidential Records: White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) Alpha Files, Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM Subject Files, Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM (OP), and Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files. The White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) contains a variety of series created to organize and track documents and correspondence. The WHORM Alpha file was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management from 1993 – 1996 and is a series of documents arranged by name of persons, organizations, or events. The WHORM Subject file was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management and is a series of categories designated by a letter/number combination. In addition, there are WHORM, WHORM Counsel, WHORM (CL), WHORM (OP), WHORM (Too Late); WHORM (Various Offices); and WHORM (Alpha Project) series. Staff and Office files were maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity. Staff and Office files are processed at the folder level, that is, individual documents are not selected and removed from a folder for processing. While this method maintains folder integrity, it frequently results in the incidental processing of documents that are not wholly responsive to the subject area. FOIA 2021-0331-F includes WHORM records from these subject codes: BE Business - Economics FG006-01 White House Office FI010 Taxation PL005-04 Republican Party PR003 Administration Support (Incoming) PU Publications.

Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. Chapter 22, as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions.

Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

Staff Archivist, 2022. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released.

The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to FOIA 2021-0331-F:
Box 1
Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Alpha Files
[Shapiro, Robert]
Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File
Category Case Number
BE 050223SS
FG006-01 085531
FG006-01 207714
FI010 161717SS
PL005-04 114092
PR003 091054
PU 169650
Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: (OP)
223103
Box 1 (cont.)
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Chief of Staff
Burton, Bill
Democratic Leadership Council/Progressive Policy Institute [OA/ID 2776]
Progressive Policy Institute [OA/ID 2780]
Ickes, Harold
Shapiro, Bob – Names [OA/ID 9152]
Correspondence
Panetta, Leon; Dorskind, Jim
May [1996] Panetta – 182843 [1] [OA/ID 7641]
May [1996] Panetta – 182843 [2] [OA/ID 7641]
National Economic Council
Sperling, Gene
Progressive Policy Institute [OA/ID 10095]
Shapiro, Robert [Folder 1] [OA/ID 19149]
Shapiro, Robert [Folder 2] [OA/ID 19149]