LibGuides: Government Resources: Legislative Branch Resources

Legislative Branch Resources

American State Papers
The American State Papers contain the legislative and executive documents of Congress during the period from 1789 to 1838. Search for documents about foreign relations, Indian affairs, finance, commerce and navigation, military affairs, naval affairs, the Post Office, public lands, and claims.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Search for biographical information on members of the U.S. Congress and Continental Congresses.
Branches of the U.S. Government
Learn about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government on USA.gov
Congress.gov
Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information. The site provides access to accurate, timely, and complete legislative information for Members of Congress, legislative agencies, and the public. It is presented by the Library of Congress (LOC) using data from the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Office of the Secretary of the Senate, the Government Publishing Office, Congressional Budget Office, and the LOC’s Congressional Research Service. Search bills, committee reports, the Congressional Record, House communications, members, schedules/calendars, Senate communications, and U.S. treaty information.
Congressional Bills
Congressional bills are legislative proposals from the House of Representatives and Senate within the United States Congress. There are eight different types of bills. All final published bill versions are available from GPO. GovInfo has all published versions of bills from the 103rd (1993-1994) Congress forward. The system is updated by 6 a.m. (EST) daily when bills are published and approved for release.
Congressional Calendars
The Congressional Calendars collection includes the Calendars of the U.S. House of Representatives and History of Legislation and the Senate Calendar of Business. The Calendars of the U.S. House of Representatives and History of Legislation is prepared under the direction of the Clerk of the House of Representatives by the Office of Legislative Operations. It is published daily by 8:00 a.m. when the House is in session. The Senate Calendar of Business is prepared under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate by the Legislative Clerk. It is updated each day the Senate is in session and identifies bills and resolutions awaiting Senate floor actions. Calendars from the 104th Congress (1995-1996) to present are available.
Congressional Committee Prints
Congressional Committee Prints are publications issued by Congressional Committees that include topics related to their legislative or research activities, as well as other matters such as memorial tributes. The prints are an excellent resource for statistical and historical information, and for legislative analysis. The subjects of the Committee Prints vary greatly due to the different concerns and actions of each committee. Some basic categories of Congressional Committee Prints are: draft reports and bills, directories, statistical materials, investigative reports, historical reports, situational studies, confidential staff reports, hearings, and legislative analyses.
Congressional Directory
The Congressional Directory is the official directory of the U.S. Congress, prepared by the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP). It presents: Short biographies of each member of the Senate and House, listed by state or district; Committee memberships, terms of service, administrative assistants and/or secretaries, and room and telephone numbers for Members of Congress; and Lists officials of the courts, military establishments, and other Federal departments and agencies, including D.C. government officials, governors of states and territories, foreign diplomats, and members of the press, radio, and television galleries.
Congressional Documents Collection
Congressional Documents originate from congressional committees and cover a wide variety of topics and may include reports of executive departments and independent organizations, reports of special investigations made for Congress, and annual reports of non-governmental organizations. Congressional documents, along with Congressional reports, are part of the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, commonly referred to as the Serial Set. GovInfo contains select House, Senate, and treaty published documents from the 104th Congress (1995-96) forward. Additional documents from previous congresses are also available. Only the Congressional documents that are printed by the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) are included.
Congressional Hearings
GovInfo contains select House and Senate hearings for the 104th Congress (1995-96) forward. A hearing is a meeting or session of a Senate, House, joint, or special committee of Congress, usually open to the public, to obtain information and opinions on proposed legislation, conduct an investigation, or evaluate/oversee the activities of a government department or the implementation of a Federal law. In addition, hearings may also be purely exploratory in nature, providing testimony and data about topics of current interest. Most congressional hearings are published two months to two years after they are held.
Congressional Record (Archive and Current)
Congress.gov provides full-text access to daily CR issues dating from 1995 (beginning with the 104th Congress). New issues become available on Congress.gov shortly after they are published on GPO’s govinfo usually before 10:00 am. Late availability, often due to a late night Congressional session, is announced on the Most Recent Issue page. Issues are not usually printed for days that neither the Senate nor House met. Congress.gov provides access to the Bound Edition of the Congressional Record from 1899 (56th Congress) through 1994 (103rd Congress).
Congressional Record (Bound Edition)
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873 and is still published today. At the end of each session of Congress, all of the daily editions are collected, re-paginated, and re-indexed into a permanent, bound edition. This permanent edition, referred to as the Congressional Record (Bound Edition), is made up of one volume per session of Congress, with each volume published in multiple parts, each part containing approximately 10 to 20 days of Congressional proceedings. The primary ways in which the bound edition differs from the daily edition are continuous pagination; somewhat edited, revised, and rearranged text; and the dropping of the prefixes H, S, and E before page numbers.
Congressional Record (Daily Edition)
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. GovInfo contains Congressional record volumes from 140 (1994) to the present. At the back of each daily issue is the "Daily Digest," which summarizes the day's floor and committee activities
Congressional Record Index
The Congressional Record Index (CRI) serves as the index to the Congressional Record. When Congress is in session, the Joint Committee on Printing publishes the Congressional Record Index. In print, the Congressional Record Index contains both the index proper and the History of Bills and Resolutions. The History of Bills and Resolutions is a separate collection in GovInfo. The index proper lists individuals, organizations, and topics mentioned in the Congressional Record. GovInfo contains CRI issues from 1983 to the present. All documents are available as ASCII text files. In addition, documents from the 1998 CRI are available as HTML files with links to pages in the Congressional Record.
Congressional Reports
Congressional Reports originate from congressional committees and deal with proposed legislation and issues under investigation. Congressional Reports, along with Congressional Documents, are part of the U.S. Congressional Serial Set , commonly referred to as the Serial Set. GovInfo contains select House, Senate, executive, and conference reports from the 104th Congress (1995-96) forward. Additional documents from previous congresses are also available.
Congressional Research Service Reports
This collection provides the public with access to research products produced by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) for the United States Congress. CRS reports provide Congress with both anticipatory and on-demand research and analysis to support their legislative, oversight, and representational duties. All reports adhere to the core values of CRS; they are authoritative, objective and nonpartisan. Reports range in length from several pages to more than one-hundred pages and cover the full breadth of topics of interest to Congress.
EveryCRSReport.com
EveryCRSReport.com, in partnership with a Republican and a Democratic member of Congress and library partners, are making these reports available to everyone for free online and in one place. EveryCRSReport.com includes 19,648 CRS reports. The number changes regularly. It’s every CRS report that’s available on crsreports.congress.gov, plus about 5,100 archived reports from the University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department CRS reports collection.
GovTrack.us
GovTrack.us publishes the status of federal legislation, information about representatives and senators in Congress including voting records, and original research on bills and votes.
Law Librarians' Society of Washington, D.C. Legislative Source Book
The Legislative Source Book is a compilation of research guides for legislative document research. It includes links to House and Senate committee hearings, legislative histories, Freedom of Information Act resources, and more.
Law Library of Congress
The Law Library of Congress contains the largest collection of United States, foreign, comparative, and international law and legislation in the world. Serving as the de facto law library of the United States, the Law Library of Congress acquires legal information in the publishing format designated as official by each issuing body, and retains the best archival copy available. Visit the website to access their digital collections or search the Library of Congress Catalog.
Public and Private Laws (Slip Laws)
Public and private laws are also known as slip laws. A slip law is an official publication of the law and is competent evidence admissible in all state and Federal courts and tribunals of the United States. Public laws affect society as a whole, while private laws affect an individual, family, or small group. View public and private laws from the 104th Congress (1995-1996) to the present.
United States Code
The United States Code is the codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. It is divided by broad subjects into 53 titles and published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. Code does not include regulations issued by executive branch agencies, decisions of the Federal courts, treaties, or laws enacted by State or local governments. Years 1994 to the present are available online.
United States Congressional Serial Set (1817-1994)
The U.S. Congressional Serial Set, commonly known as the Serial Set, is a compilation of journals, reports, and documents from House and Senate proceedings as well as documents from executive departments and independent agencies. Documents cover a wide variety of topics and may include reports of executive departments and independent organizations, reports of special investigations made for Congress, and annual reports of non-governmental organizations. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, executive-branch materials were also published in the Serial Set. GovInfo contains Serial Set volumes from a selection of Congresses. Additional volumes will be added periodically as they are digitized. Holdings are incomplete.
United States Congressional Serial Set (1833-1917)
The United States Congressional Serial Set, commonly referred to as the Serial Set, began publication with the 15th Congress, 1st Session (1817). The Serial Set contains the House and Senate Documents and the House and Senate Reports. Browse documents and reports from the 23rd to the 64th Congress (1833-1917). Holdings are incomplete.
United States Congressional Serial Set (1900-1999)
The U.S. Congressional Serial Set, commonly known as the Serial Set, is a compilation of journals, reports, and documents from House and Senate proceedings as well as documents from executive departments and independent agencies. Documents cover a wide variety of topics and may include reports of executive departments and independent organizations, reports of special investigations made for Congress, and annual reports of non-governmental organizations. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, executive-branch materials were also published in the Serial Set. The Law Library of Congress and the Government Publishing Office are collaborating to digitize Serial Set documents published between the 15th (1817) and 103rd (1994) Congresses. Holdings are incomplete.
United States Government Manual
As the official handbook of the Federal Government, The United States Government Manual provides information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. It also includes information on quasi-official agencies; international organizations in which the United States participates; and boards, commissions, and committees. The Manual begins with reprints of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. The Manual is published as a special edition of the Federal Register (see 1 CFR 9.1). Its focus is on programs and activities. Persons interested in detailed organizational structure, the regulatory documents of an agency, or Presidential documents should refer to the Federal Register or one of its other special editions.
United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions (Plum Book)
Published by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and House Committee on Government Reform alternately after each Presidential election, the Plum Book lists over 7,000 Federal civil service leadership and support positions in the legislative and executive branches of the Federal Government that may be subject to noncompetitive appointment, nationwide. Data covers positions such as agency heads and their immediate subordinates, policy executives and advisors, and aides who report to these officials. The duties of many such positions may involve advocacy of Administration policies and programs and the incumbents usually have a close and confidential working relationship with the agency or other key officials. The Plum Book is used to identify presidentially appointed positions within the Federal Government.
United States House of Representatives
The official website of the United States House of Representatives. Find representatives, House committees, House floor proceedings, and more.
United States Senate
The official website of the United States Senate. Search for senators, bills, acts, laws, treaties, and more.
United States Senate: Commonly Searched Legislation
This page provides links to the most commonly searched legislation, including active, passed, and vetoed bills, of the current Congress.
United States Statutes at Large (1789-1951)
The United States Statutes at Large, commonly referred to as the Statutes at Large, is the official source for the laws and resolutions passed by Congress. Publication began in 1845 by the private firm of Little, Brown and Company under authority granted by a joint resolution of Congress. In 1874, Congress transferred the authority to publish the Statutes at Large to the Government Printing Office, which has been responsible for producing the set since that time. The Library of Congress site contains volumes 1-64 (1789-1951).
United States Statutes at Large (1789-present)
The United States Statutes at Large, typically referred to as the Statutes at Large, is the permanent collection of all laws and resolutions enacted during each session of Congress. The Statutes at Large is prepared and published by the Office of the Federal Register (OFR), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). GovInfo contains the Statutes at Large for the 1st Congress (1789) forward.
Westlaw
Westlaw is an online legal research database that provides access to case law, state and federal statutes, administrative codes, newspaper and magazine articles, public records, law journals, law reviews, treatises, legal forms and other information resources. You will need to log in with your Warrior ID to access this database.

About the Legislative Branch

The legislative branch of the United States government was established by Article I of the Constitution. The legislative branch consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives which together form the Congress. The Constitution grants Congress the power to enact legislation which means that it is the only part of the government that can make new laws or change existing laws.

The House of Representatives is composed of 435 Representatives. These Representatives are divided among the 50 states according to population. There are also 6 non-voting members who represent the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and four other territories of the United States. The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House who is elected by the Representatives. The Speaker of the House is third in the line of succession to the Presidency. Members of the House are elected every two years and must be at least 25 years of age, a U.S. Citizen for at least 7 years, and a resident of the state they represent.

The Senate is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state. Senators are elected for six-year terms by the people of each state. Senator’s terms are staggered so that about one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years. Senators must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizens for at least nine years, and residents of the state they represent. The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and may cast the decisive vote in the event of a tie in the Senate. The Senate has the sole power to confirm Presidential appointments, and to ratify treaties. There are, however, two exceptions to this rule: the House must also approve appointments to the Vice Presidency and any treaty that involves foreign trade. The Senate also tries impeachment cases for federal officials referred to it by the House.

Congressional bills are legislative proposals from the House of Representatives and Senate within the United States Congress. There are eight different types of bills: House bills (H.R.) and Senate bills (S.) require the approval of both chambers (i.e. House and Senate) and the signature of the President to become law; House Joint Resolutions (H.J. Res.) and Senate Joint Resolutions (S.J. Res.) require the approval of both chambers and the signature of the President and are generally used for limited matters, such as a single appropriation for a specific purpose and to propose amendments to the Constitution; House Concurrent Resolutions (H. Con. Res.) and Senate Concurrent Resolutions (S. Con. Res.) require the approval of both chambers but do not require the signature of the President and do not have the force of law and generally are used to make or amend rules that apply to both chambers; House Simple Resolutions (H. Res.) and Senate Simple Resolutions (S. Res.) address matters entirely within the prerogative of one chamber or the other. They do not require the approval of the other chamber or the signature of the President, and they do not have the force of law.