This series documents George McGovern's activities as the director of the Food for Peace Program (1961-1962) and United States Senator (1962-1980). Of special interest are files documenting McGovern's activities as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Indian Affairs of the Senate Committe on Interior and Insular Affairs (1967-1972) and as Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs (1969-1970, 1973-1977) and its successor, the Subcommittee on Nutrition of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (1978-1980). In addition, the series contains documentation pertaining to McGovern's activities as chairman of the Subcommittee on Agricultural Credit and Rural Electrification (1971-1976) and the Subcommittees on South Asian Affairs (1973-1974) and Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (1975-1977). The series includes legislation and policy files, statements, schedules and invitations, travel files, patronage files, and constituent correspondence.

This series contains items that are peripheral to George McGovern's political activities, material belonging to family members, and secondary material. Items of note include unfiled (and some unopened) correspondence of Eleanor McGovern's and a term paper of McGovern's daughter Susan.