Wheaton College (IL) has been designated to receive the congressional papers of outgoing Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert. For Hastert, the decision to assign his papers to his alma mater was an obvious choice. “Over the years, I have witnessed the work of many Wheaton graduates who serve in all branches of government. They came equipped with the highest caliber education, one that is bent on engaging the world and addressing its needs. My hope is that these papers will help to further this legacy.” Hastert is a 1964 graduate of Wheaton College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics. The longest-serving Republican Speaker in history, he was Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2006. "Wheaton is honored to accept this gift from a statesman as distinguished as our own Dennis Hastert,” said Wheaton College President Dr. Duane Litfin. “These papers will provide an invaluable resource for understanding the legislative process, not only for Wheaton students and faculty, but also for the academic community at large.” The Hastert Papers highlight his nearly 20 years in the House and will provide researchers hundreds of cubic feet of materials detailing the work of Congress and his common sense strategy for enhancing the lives of Americans in Illinois and the United States. Other notable collections within the Wheaton College Archives and Special Collections include those of Malcolm Muggeridge, C. Everett Koop, Senator Dan Coats and others.