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Talmadge's office staff had to coordinate the organization of constituent correspondence records. The tracking system began with attaching the actual letter (incoming and outgoing), along with copies of approved response paragraphs. These materials were then organized under a subject access point. With the adoption of the on-line correspondence management system (CMS) in the 1970s, computer databases became a key component of the correspondence records, and access became more flexible, but dependent on the CMS.

In 1963, President Lyndon Johnson set up a commission to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Senator Russell was one of seven members to serve on the Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy (the Warren Commission). Because of so many other commitments, Russell was reluctant to serve on the commission. At this time, he was also leading the fight against the civil rights bill of 1964 and felt he could not participate in the whole investigation. Russell hired Alfredda Scobey, an Atlanta attorney, to assist him with commission work, and she often attended meetings in his place. Russell also presided as chairman of an informal subcommittee that went to Dallas, Texas, for a second interrogation of Marina Oswald.

On 11 April 1951 President Harry Truman announced his removal of General Douglas MacArthur as commander of the United Nations and United States troops in the Far East. The dismissal of a popular military hero in the midst of an unpopular war brought a flood of criticism against Truman; emotions ran high.