BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION RESOURCES
FOR
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY PROCESS (IN BRIEF): DEFINITIONS,
EXPLANATIONS, and INFORMATION RESOURCES
Philip A. Yannarella
Documents Librarian
November 2006
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY PROCESS
I. GENERAL RESOURCES:
A. General Resources and Databases
Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications
V. 1, 1895-
Steely Library, Paper: 1937- U.S. DOC GP 3.8:
Electronic: http://catalog.gpo.gov/F
MarciveWeb Docs
http://www.marcive.com/webdocs/webdocs.dll (Online Database of Catalog of U.S. Government Publications July
1976- Current) (Steely Library Databases: MARCIVE) Online database of U.S.
government publications (July 1976 – Date) with direct links to government
documents available on the Web.
CIS Annual Abstracts, Index, and Legislative Histories of U.S. Public Laws
Steely Library: Reference -- Index Tables Coverage: 1970 -2001. Use the
Abstracts, Indexes, and Legislative Histories to identify a public law number;
follow that to the parts of the legislative history -- hearings, floor debates,
Congressional committee reports, executive documents, etc. CIS Abstracts,
Indexes, and Legislative Histories 1970-2001 and microfiche for 1970-1985. .
CIS Publications
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/congcomp (Abstracts, Index, Legislative Histories) (Steely Library
LEXIS-NEXIS Online Database) Available off campus with NKU login. Date of
earliest coverage varies for: full text of legislative histories, bills,
hearings, reports, prints, and related information sources.
Congressional Quarterly Almanac
REF JK1 .C66 Coverage: 1969-present
CQ Weekly Report
http://library.cqpress.com/cqweekly/
REF JK1 .C15 Coverage: current year Browse the index for topics. Articles will
provide bill numbers and public law numbers as well as background information on
the topic.
Congressional Index
Chase Law Library-- KF 49. C6 Coverage: current Congress. This is the first
print source in which you can find new laws or pending bills.
Thomas http://thomas.loc.gov/
Coverage: 1973- Date Use the "Bill Summary and Status" files to locate detailed
listing of dates and actions taken. Laws are bills or resolutions that have
passed both the House and the Senate in the same form and have been signed by
the President (or re-passed by Congress over a Presidential veto). Laws are for
public purposes (Public Laws) or private individuals (Private Laws).
CIS US Serial Set and Serial Set 1879-1969 Parts I –XII and Index
Senate and House reports 1817-1969 In microfiche
REF Zl223 .Z9 C65 1975 Pts. 1- 13 1789-1969
Y 1.1/2: No. 13301 -Reports:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/creports/index.html
-Documents:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/index.html
CIS US Serial Set Index Part XIII Index by Reported Bill Numbers 1817-1969
REF Zl223 .Z9 C65 1975 Pt. 13 1817-1969.
B. Websites
U.S. House of Representatives
http://www.house.gov
U.S. Senate
http://www.senate.gov
Library of Congress
American Memory, A Century of Lawmaking For a New Nation,
Congressional Documents and Debates 1774-1875
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html
II. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SOURCES
Conference Reports Electronic: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/confrpts/index.html
House Documents
Paper: Steely Library U.S. DOC Y 1.1/7: (Cong. No./No.) 97th Congress,1981-
Electronic:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/index.html
House Reports
Microfiche: Chase Law Library Y 1.1/8: (Cong. No./No.) 97th Congress, 1981-
Electronic:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/creports/index.html
History of Bills Electronic: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/hob/index.html
Senate Documents
Paper: Steely Library U.S. DOC Y 1.1/3: (Cong. No./No.) 97th Congress, 1981-
Electronic:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/index.html
Senate Treaty Documents
Paper: U.S. DOC Y 1.1/4: (Cong. No./No.)105th Congress, 1997 –
Chase Law Library -Microfiche 97th Congress,1981-
Electronic:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/index.html
Senate Reports
Microfiche: Chase Law Library - Y 1.1/5: (Cong. No./No.)] 97rd Congress,1981 –
Electronic:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/creports/index.html
Senate Executive Reports
Microfiche: Chase Law Library Y 1.1/6: (Cong. No./No.)] 97th Congress,1981-
Electronic:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/creports/index.html
Calendar of the United States House of Representatives and History of
Legislation
Sections included: Union Calendar, House Calendar, Private Calendar, Calendar of
Motions to Discharge Committees, Public Laws (w/Bill number), Private Laws
(w/Bill number), History of all House and Senate Bills, Resolutions, Joint
Resolutions, Concurrent Resolutions, considered Congress, (Excluded are Senate
Resolutions not of interest to the House), Bills in & through Conference, and a
Geographical and subject index. Each issues cumulates into a Final Edition which
lists all the bills that failed to become law and lists all those which did,
citing their Public Law number. It cites the summary of action and time line for
ALL bills that were reported by committees and acted on by at least one chamber.
Paper: Steely Library U.S. DOC Y 1.2/2: 93rd Congress -
Electronic: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/calendars/house/index.html
Calendar of Business of the Senate
Sections included: Cumulated daily record of each of the Bills acted on by the
Senate, a numerical list of the Bills in Conference, and a Status Chart of the
House/Senate Appropriations Bills considered by the Senate. For each Congress,
there is a cumulative Final Issue which cites all the dates and actions taken on
all the Bills considered by the Senate, and the Bills in Conference during the
two year period.
Paper/Microfiche: Steely Library U.S.DOC Y 1.3/3:
Electronic: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/calendars/senate/index.html
Congressional Record 1789-1872
Annals of Congress (1st Congress May 3, 1789 thru 18th Congress 1st Session, May
27, 1824)
Paper/Microfilm/Microfiche: U.S.DOC X.(No.)
Online: LC American Memory
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html
Register of Debates (18th Congress 2nd Session, December 6, 1824 thru 25th
Congress 1st Session October 16, 1837),
Paper/Microfilm/Microfiche: Steely Library U.S.DOC X. (No.)
Online: LC American Memory
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html
The Congressional Globe (23rd Congress, December 2, 1833 thru 42nd Congress,
March 3, 1873),
Paper/Microfilm/Microfiche: Steely Library U.S.DOC X.(No.)
Online: LC American Memory
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html
Congressional Record 43rd Special Session March 4, 1873 to present
Daily: Paper/Microfiche: Steely Library U.S.DOC X.(No.)
Electronic: X 1.1/A: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/crecord/index.html
Bound: Paper/Microfiche: Steely Library U.S.DOC X.(No.)
Electronic: X 1.1: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/crecordbound/index.html
Published daily (electronically and in paper) while Congress is in session,
there is
a Cumulated edition each year.
1) House Pages contain the daily record of House proceedings and
debates, messages to the each house, and voting information.
2) Senate Pages contain the daily record of
Senate proceedings and
debates, messages to the each house, and voting information.
3) Extension of Remarks’ includes tributes, reprinted articles, and other
materials ordered to be placed in the Congressional Record.
4) Daily Digest (New as of 1947)
This fourth section includes information about the events in a legislative day,
i.e. House and Senate Chamber Action which summarized bills introduced and
reported, bills signed by the President, quorum calls, and a schedule of the
House and Senate Committees Meetings for the following day.
5) History of Bills and Resolutions
A section found within the Index of the Cumulated edition of the CR, this index
is arranged by Bill number and leads to citations for information on all stages
of bills from Introduction to defeat or passage.
Journal of the House of Representatives/Journal of the Senate.
The only Constitutionally mandated publications, these are the official records
of the proceedings of Congress. Debates are not included. (1)The House Journal
has appendixes which include proceedings subsequent to the “sine die”
adjournment and Rules of the House. (2) The Senate Journal contains proceedings,
messages of the President. Both Journals have (1) a History of Bills and
Resolutions section organized by bill number, title, and action and (2) a
Name/Subject/Title Index. They are published at the conclusion of each session.
Journal of the House of Representatives
Paper/Microfiche: Steely Library U.S.DOC XJH: 89th 2nd Session, 1966 -
Electronic: 1991-1999 http://www.gpoaccess.gov/hjournal/index.html
1789-1875 LC American Memory
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html
Journal of the Senate
Paper/Microfiche: Steely Library U.S.DOC XJS: 92nd Congress, 1st Session 1971-
Electronic1789-1875 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html
Congressional Research Service, Digest of Public General Bills and Resolutions
Published for each session of Congress, from 74th Congress First Session,
(January
18, 1936) - 101st Congress 2nd Session 1990, these volumes present the summery
version of all bills considered by Congress. Also included are Public Laws and
the
Legislative history for each.
Paper: Steely Library U.S.DOC LC 30.6: 74th January 18, 1936–101st Congress 1990
Electronic: (University of Michigan) http://name.umdl.umich.edu/80036
III. EXECUTIVE BRANCH SOURCES:
Code of Federal Regulations
This set of volumes is an annual compilation of current agencies regulations,
and Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders.
Paper: Current Edition Steely Library U.S. DOC AE 2.106/3:
Online: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html
Federal Register
Daily announcement of all agencies’ proposed and new Regulations, official
notices, and Presidential Executive Orders and Proclamations.
Paper: Current two years.
Microfilm: 1960-1984, Microfiche 1985-2004
Electronic: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html
United States Code
Topical arrangement of current legislative laws
Paper: Steely Library U.S.DOC Y 1.2/5: Latest
Online: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/index.html
Public and Private Laws
Paper: Steely Library U.S.DOC AE 2.110: AE 2.110/2 Current-
Online: AE 2.110/3: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/plaws/index.html
United States Statutes at Large
Paper: Steely Library U.S.DOC GS 4.111 1962-1983, AE 2.111: 1984-Date
Online http://www.gpoaccess.gov/statutes/index.html
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents - present Provides texts
of presidential speeches, press conferences, and other documents.
Paper/Microfilm V. 1 1965-V. 40, 2005
Electronic: 1993- http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/nara003.html
Electronic: Current- http://www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html
Public Papers of the President of the United States
Public messages and statements, verbatim transcripts of news conferences
and selected papers released by the White House since 1929-1933, 1945-
Paper: Steely Library U.S.DOC AE 2.114:1929-1933, 1945-
Electronic: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/pubpapers/index.html