Upon becoming Majority Whip in 1971, O'Neill entered the leadership of the House. This carried with it a more active role in Congress' relationship with the President and the Executive branch. Later, as Speaker during the Reagan administration, O'Neill would come to be seen as spokesman for the Democratic Party. This documentation provides a limited perspective of O'Neill's White House activities. Correspondence from the presidents and their staffs during these years is combined with White House press releases. The latter cover various presidential policy and legislative proposals, speeches, fact sheets, and statements.