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Guides to Information Resources

Last revised: August, 2008

Federal Legislative Information

Scope: This is a guide to the legislative process as well as a selective list of reference tools for finding legislative publications in print and on the Web. If you have any questions or would like further assistance, please contact the U.S. Government Information, Maps & GIS Services staff at govdocs@umd.edu or 301.405.9165.


The Legislative Process or How a Bill Becomes a Law

For a quick overview of the legislative process, see:

For a more in-depth explanation of the legislative process, consult one of the following sources:

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Finding Legislation Using Databases

These databases are useful for tracking down legislative information. They are only available to University of Maryland faculty and students through Research Port. Note that databases are not as comprehensive as their print index counterparts.

LexisNexis Congressional
This database provides full text access to many documents from circa 1988 to the present. If the full text is not available, users can track down the call number or microfiche number to access the publication in print or microfiche. LexisNexis Congressional contains:
  • Bills
  • Laws
  • Hearings
  • Documents
  • Reports
  • Prints
  • Legislative Histories
  • US Serial Set publications
  • US Serial Set maps
  • American State Papers series
  • Congressional Record
  • Congressional Committees
  • Members of Congress
  • News publications like the Washington Post, the Hill and RollCall
Westlaw Campus Research
This database provides full text access to cases from the courts of all 50 states and federal courts as well as state and federal statutes published in the United States Code Annotated, American Jurisprudence 2d Legal Encyclopedia, American Law Reports, federal regulations, law review, and other legal periodicals.

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Finding Legislation Using Print Indexes

CCH Congressional Index (1939 - present)
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: J 69.C6 congress
CIS Annual, Index to Congressional Publications and Legislative Histories (1970 - present)
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: JK 8.C6 year
CIS Unpublished U.S. House of Representatives Committee Hearings (1833-1964)
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: KF 40.C54
CIS Unpublished U.S. Senate Committee Hearings (1823-1976)
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBERS: KF 40.C55 and KF 40.C551
CIS U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings Index (1833-1969)
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: KF 25.C66
CIS U.S. Congressional Committee Prints Index (1817-1969)
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: Z 7165.U5852
CIS U.S. Senate Executive Documents and Reports (1817-1969)
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: KF 40.C57
CIS U.S. Serial Set Index (1789-1969)
Index to Congressional reports and documents
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: Z 1223.Z9C65
Public Documents of the 1st Fourteen Congresses (1789-1817)
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: Z 1223.A1900a
Sessional Indexes to the: Annals of Congress, Congressional Globe and the Congressional Record (1789-1960)
Indexes to the record of the proceedings and debates of Congress
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: J 11.G51 cong.

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Other Online Resources

Biographical Directory of the United States
Includes information about representatives and senators from 1774 to the present.
Online: http//www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/hd108-222/
Online (searchable database): http://bioguide.congress.gov
Congressional Bibliographies
Contains meeting transcripts and descriptions as well as other documents created by House and Senate committees.
Online: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/congbibs/
Congressional Research Service Reports
CRS is the public policy research arm of Congress. This legislative branch agency works exclusively for Members of Congress, their committees and their staffs. Reports are only available to the public if a Congressperson releases them. There is no one comprehensive collection of reports but select ones may be found from:
Cornell University Legal Information Institute
Excellent for browsing or searching for laws. There are also subject guides to issues.
Online: http://www.law.cornell.edu
GPO Access: Legislative Information
Includes access to bills, laws, the Congressional Record, Statutes at Large, US Code, hearings from 1983 to present, and more.
Online: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/legislative.html
House of Representatives Committees
Online: http://www.house.gov/house/CommitteeWWW.html
Senate Committees
Online: http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/committees/d_three_sections_with_teasers/ committees_home.htm
Thomas: Legislative Information on the Internet
This Library of Congress website provides free access to much of the same information that can also be found in LexisNexis Congressional, including Roll Call votes. However, it does not span as many years. It allows users to browse current legislation by sponsor and by topic.
Online: http://thomas.loc.gov

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Other Print Resources

CQ's Guide to Congress
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: JK 1021.C565 2000
CQ's Guide to the Presidency
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, Reference Stacks
CALL NUMBER: JK 516.C57 2002
CQ's Politics in America
LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: JK 1010.C67

Primary Source Materials

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Layout of the U.S. Government Information Collection

Click on the [+] to expand locations.
Bills, Resolutions
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfiche
CALL NUMBERS: Y 1.4: (1953*-2000)
Online (1799-1873):
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwhbsb.html
Online (1989-present, 1973-present for bill summaries):
http://thomas.loc.gov/
Online (1989-present):
LexisNexis Congressional (UM Only)

Note: Finding aid for 1979-2000 located at U.S. Government Information Reference GP 3.28:.
*Copies of bills pre-1953 may be viewed in the Library of Congress' Microtext Collection.

Congressional Debate - Annals of Congress, Register of Debates, Congressional Globe, Congressional Record
Contains the official records of proceedings and debates of Congress, including roll call votes.
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBERS: X vol. and X1.1: vol. (1789-present)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfilm
CALL NUMBERS: J 11.A5, J 11.D5, J 11.G5 (1789-1967)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfiche
CALL NUMBERS: X 1.1: (1977-present) *Permanent edition
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfiche
CALL NUMBERS: X 1.1/A: (1985-present) *Daily edition
Online (1789-1875):
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html
Online (1985-present):
LexisNexis Congressional (UM Only)
Online (1989-present):
http://thomas.loc.gov/
Hearings
Transcripts of meetings or sessions of congressional committees considering proposed legislation or conducting an investigation.
See Finding Congressional Hearings
House Journal
Record of the proceedings of each legislative day in the House of Representatives.
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information SU Docs
CALL NUMBER: XJH: congress (1789-1817, 1947-2004)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Rare (Ask at Info Desk)
CALL NUMBER: XJH: congress (1797-1946)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfiche
CALL NUMBER: XJH: congress (1979-2004)
Online (1789-1875):
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwhj.html
Online (1991-1999):
www.gpoaccess.gov/hjournal/index.html
Prints
Congressional committee publications on topics of interest to the committee.
Found the same way as congressional hearings.
Private Laws (See also, Statutes at Large)
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: AE 2.110/2: congress
Online (1995-present):
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/plaws/index.html
Public Laws/Slip Laws (See also, Statutes at Large)
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: AE 2.110: congress (recent only)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfiche
CALL NUMBER: AE 2.110: congress (1953-1978)
Online (1988-present):
LexisNexis Congressional (UM only)
Online (1989-present):
http://thomas.loc.gov
Online (1995-present):
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/plaws/
Reports, House & Senate (See Serial Set)
Senate Journal
Record of the proceedings of each legislative day in the Senate
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information SU Docs
CALL NUMBER: XJS: congress (1789-1817, 1947-2006)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Rare (Ask at Info Desk)
CALL NUMBER: XJS: congress (1817-1920)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Folio (Ask at Info Desk)
CALL NUMBER: XJS: congress (1921-1946)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfiche
CALL NUMBER: XJS: congress (1979-2004)
Online (1789-1875):
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwsj.html
Serial Set, American State Papers
Numbered Reports, Documents, Executive Reports and Executive Documents for the House of Representatives and the Senate
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Su Doc
CALL NUMBER: Y 1.1/2:vol., Y 1.1/5, Y 1.1/8: (1947-present)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Rare (Ask at Info Desk)
CALL NUMBER: Y 1.1/2: vol. (1789-1946)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfiche
CALL NUMBER: Y 1.1/2: vol. (1789-1976, 1979-present)
Online (1789-1917, various):
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/
Online (1789-1969):
LexisNexis Congressional (UM only)
Online (1995-present):
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/
Statutes at Large
Volumes of the law, bound chronologically from their date of passage and printed in their entirety.
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: AE 2.111: vol. (1789-present)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Microfiche
CALL NUMBER: CIS Collection, KF 50.U5 (1789-1982)
Online (1789-1875):
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwsl.html
Online (1789-2006):
HeinOnline U.S. Statutes at Large Library (UM only)
Online (2003-2006):
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/statutes/index.html
United States Code
Codification of current laws in force, organized by subject. Revised every 6 years with annual supplements.
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: Y 1.2/5: year (2000-present)
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information SU Docs
CALL NUMBER: Y 1.2/5: year (1934-1999)
Online (1988-present):
http://uscode.house.gov
Online (1994-2005):
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/
Online (Current version only):
LexisNexis Congressional (UM only)
United States Code Annotated
Commercial version of United States Code with annotations to case law.
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, McKeldin Reference
CALL NUMBER: KF 62.U53
Online (Current version):
Westlaw Campus Research
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
Contains statements, messages, and other Presidential materials released by the White House during the preceeding week.
LOCATION []
UMCP McKeldin Library, U.S. Government Information Reference
CALL NUMBER: AE 2.109: date (1965-2000)
Online (1993-present):
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html

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Last modified: September 18, 2008

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