FINDING U.S. LEGISLATION


Prepared by Karen Kimber, Social Sciences and Humanities Team Leader
Paul Laurence Dunbar University, Wright State University

See also How the U.S. Congress Makes Laws

For information on historical Congressional publications, go to Finding Historical Congressional Publications

Bills and Joint Resolutions (full text and legislative status, except as noted)

Notes on bills and resolutions

• LexisNexis Congressional - 1989-present
• THOMAS...Legislative Information from the Library of Congress - Bill text 1989-present; bill summary and status 1973-present
• The Government Printing Office provides:
  • Congressional Bills: Main Page - searchable text - 1993-present
  • Congressional Bills: Browse - lists of bills in numerical order, with links - 1993-present
• Bills and joint resolutions in Government Documents Microfiche (Current Periodicals Room) - 1979-1988
  Full text, but no status information. Use numerical finding aid on top of cabinet
  • Senate bills (S.) - Y 1.4/1:
  • House bills (H.R.) - Y 1.4/6:
  • Senate joint resolutions (S.J.Res) - Y 1.4/3:
  • House joint resolutions (H.J.Res) - Y 1.4/8:

Congressional committee hearings

Notes on hearings

• Full transcripts are available as individual publications in print or microfiche. Approximate date range: 1966-present. Those of recent years can be found through the Library Catalog. For earlier publications, ask for assistance at the Dunbar Information Desk.
• LexisNexis Congressional - Includes prepared statements of witnesses and selected question and answer transcripts - 1988-present
• THOMAS...Legislative Information from the Library of Congress - Some committees provide transcripts, others prepared testimony only - dates vary by committee
• Congressional Committee Materials Online via GPO Access - A limited number of hearings are available as transcripts - availability varies by committee

Senate and House reports

Notes on reports

• LexisNexis Congressional - 1989-present
• Congressional Reports: Main Page - House and Senate Reports and Senate Executive Reports - 1995-present
• THOMAS...Legislative Information from the Library of Congress - 1995-present
• Sentate and House reports and documents are filed numerically in Government Documents Microfiche (Current Periodicals Room) - 1979-1990, 2001-present
  • Senate reports - Y 1.1/5:
  • House reports - Y 1.1/8:

Congressional debates and votes (both included, except as noted)

• Congressional Record - 1994-present
• LexisNexis Congressional - 1985-present
• THOMAS...Legislative Information from the Library of Congress - 1989-present
• House Journal (votes only) - 1991-present
  Microfiche volumes also available: Documents Microfiche XJH: - 1979-present
• Journal of the Senate of the United States of America. (votes only) Documents Microfiche XJS: - 1979-present

Presidential statements

• The White House - statements from the current administration
• Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents - 1993-present
• Public Papers of the Presidents 1991-present
  Print volumes also available (1963-present and some earlier vols.): SW Depository J80.A283

Individual laws as enacted

Notes on individual laws

• LexisNexis Congressional - 1988-present
• THOMAS...Legislative Information from the Library of Congress - 1973-present
• Slip laws filed in numerical order. Current 3 years - Docs AE 2.110:
• United States Statutes at Large. 1846-present (some years missing) - Ref KF50.A3 (earlier years on 3rd floor)

United States Code

Notes on the United States Code

• United States Code (GPO Access) (USC) - official unannotated version
  Print volumes also available: Ref KF62 1940 .A2
• U.S. Code at the Legal Information Institute (Cornell Univ.) (USC)
• LexisNexis Congressional provides the annotated United States Code Service version (USCS)
  LexisNexis Academic provides the same version with a different search form

Finding background information about specific legislation

• CQ Weekly - analysis of legislative issues and activity as it occurs
  • Online: 1983-present
  • Print version - 1965-1998: SW Depository
• Congressional Quarterly Almanac Plus - annual retrospective analysis of legislative issues and activity
  • Most recent 10 years: Dunbar Ref JK1.C66
  • 1986-most recent 10 years: Dunbar 3rd floor JK1.C66
  • 1962-1985: SW Depository
  • 1948-1961: Dunbar Microfilm JK1.C66
• Congress and the Nation - overview of major legislation in each presidential term
• LexisNexis Congressional - Pages on individual laws and bills include links to related news articles
• LexisNexis Academic - Search for news articles

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