Dr. Robert V. Remini

Historian of the House

Robert V. Remini is the Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives, a position he has held since May, 2005, when he was appointed by Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert.

Dr. Remini has been teaching and writing about American history for more than half a century.  He received his bachelor's degree from Fordham University in 1943 and his doctorate from Columbia University in 1951. After teaching at Fordham, he joined the faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1965, and served as chairman of the history department from 1965 to 1970.  He retired from the department in 1991, returning to the campus in 1997 as University Historian. 

He has written over twenty books on American history, including the definitive three volume biography, The Life of Andrew Jackson, which won the National Book Award upon its completion in 1984.  Among his numerous books are biographies of Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John Quincy Adams, and Joseph Smith.

In recognition of his scholarship, Dr. Remini was commissioned in 2002 to write a narrative history of the U.S. House of Representatives, which was published in May, 2006, as The House: The History of the House of Representatives.

Dr. Fred W. Beuttler

Deputy Historian of the House

Fred W. Beuttler is Deputy Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives.  In May, 2005, Speaker Dennis Hastert recreated the Office of the Historian, appointing Robert Remini as Historian of the House and Fred Beuttler as Deputy Historian.  Prior to coming to Washington, Dr. Beuttler was for seven years the Associate University Historian at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).  At UIC, Dr. Beuttler directed the university’s oral history project and researched the history of the University.  From 1993 to 1998, Dr. Beuttler was an assistant professor at Trinity Christian College near Chicago, where he taught American history and government.

Dr. Beuttler earned a B.A. from the University of Illinois, an M.A. from Trinity International University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.  His dissertation, “Organizing an American Conscience: The Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion, 1940-1968,” focused on debates over ways to strengthen the democratic way of life.  

Recent publications include: “Failed Nerves and the Problem of Religion on the American Left, 1935-1962,” “Envisioning an Urban University: President David Henry and the Chicago Circle Campus of the University of Illinois, 1955-1975,” and “For the Welfare of Every Child: A Brief History of the Institute for Juvenile Research, 1909-2004.”  He is currently updating and revising “The History of the Committee on Ways and Means.”

Mr. Anthony A. Wallis

Research Analyst

Anthony A. Wallis hails from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, a small suburb outside of Milwaukee.  In 2005, he graduated with a B.A. in Political Science, U.S. History and Spanish Studies from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in Minneapolis.  He began his career in public service by interning for U.S. Senator Norm Coleman (2003-2004) in the Regional Affairs Department, working as an elections clerk for Ramsey County in Saint Paul (2003-2004), and as a tax filing clerk for the Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer (2004).

After working as a volunteer for the 2004 election campaigns in Minnesota, he came to Washington D.C. in January 2005 and interned for U.S. Representative Jim Ramstad of Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District until May 2005.  Following the internship, Anthony was a part-time Staff Assistant for U.S. Representative F. James Sensenbrenner from the 5th Congressional District of Wisconsin until August 2005 when he accepted the position as Research Assistant for the Office of the Historian. Anthony has since received training by the Library of Congress on photographic and legislative research. In addition to pursuing his M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies at the US Naval War College, Anthony is also currently updating and writing the History of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Dr. Thomas Rushford

Digital Historian

Thomas Rushford is a recent PhD graduate from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, under the direction of Brian Ogilvie. Doctor Rushford received his Master’s degree from University of Massachusetts-Amherst and his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont. His dissertation, Burnings & Blessings: The Cultural Reality if the Supernatural Across Early Modern European Spaces, focuses on the cultural and social dynamics of supernatural beliefs in the 17th century Atlantic world. Doctor Rushford presents regularly at various academic conferences, both nationally and internationally, most recently at the annual World Historical Association meeting in Salem, Massachusetts and the Society for Sixteenth Century Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dr. Rushford recently completed a three-year Post-Doctoral Teaching Fellowship at George Mason University. While at the University of Massachusetts, he taught at a variety of institutions (UMass, Eastern Connecticut State University, Mt. Holyoke Community College, Bay Path College and Smith College) as well as a wide array of classes (European History surveys, Global History surveys and advanced classes on a variety of topics in European History). While at George Mason, Doctor Rushford was also chosen to serve as Project Editor for the prestigious Center for History and New Media (CHNM). His work as the Project Editor is for the digital history site The Making of the History of 1989, one of the many sites created by the CHNM to provide teachers and scholars with interdisciplinary digital tools to enrich and enliven their curriculum and classrooms. He has also worked on Teaching American history projects, based at the CHNM. Dr. Rushford was hired in 2009 as Digital Historian/Projects Director for the Office of the House Historian and is currently working on editing and archiving the audio, video and photo digital files.

Mr. Benjamin Hayes

Researcher

Benjamin Hayes was raised in the small, country town of Kemblesville, Pennsylvania. He attended Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA where he earned a B.A. in Philosophy and in Biblical Studies in May of 2008. Benjamin arrived in the Washington, D.C. area in September 2008 upon his acceptance into the Capital Fellows Program in McLean, VA. During the duration of the Fellows Program, Benjamin interned in the Office of the Historian. He completed his internship in May 2009 and was hired as a Researcher. He has done training seminars on CRS products and resources at the Library of Congress. During his time in the Historian’s Office, Benjamin has contributed to numerous projects, including a history of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and a compilation of Speakers’ speeches and biographies. He is currently working on the history of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.