The bulk of the collection relates to Esteban Torres's eight terms in the United States House of Representatives. Most of it consists of legislative files, which comprise research materials, correspondence, and drafts of bills written and under consideration by Torres. There is a great deal of material about environmental issues, as well as defense, labor, NAFTA, and consumer affairs legislation. There are also administrative files that reflect the work life of a member of Congress apart from voting. These include material about the maintenance of Torres's offices in Washington, D.C. and Pico Rivera, CA, as well as information about his participation in organizations such as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, of which he was a senior member, and the Smithsonian Institution, of which he was a regent. The collection also contains correspondence, photographs, records from Torres's political campaigns, and many of the speeches he gave throughout the years. There is a small amount of material about his positions in the Carter administration, and from his personal life. There is also some audiovisual material and some realia, such as various awards he was given during his career.