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:

• The Legislative Process (C-SPAN)
  http://www3.capwiz.com/c-span/issues/basics/?style=legis

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

• How Our Laws Are Made (Library of Congress)
  http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
• Stages of the Legislative Process
  Available through the database LexisNexis Congressional
• Tapping the Government Grapevine: The user friendly guide to U.S. government information
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, Reference Desk or U.S. Government Information Reference
  CALL NUMBER: ZA 5055.U6R63 1998
• United States Government Information Policies and Sources
  Identifies sources appropriate to each stage in the legislative process.
  LOCATION: UMCP McKeldin Library, Stacks or U.S. Government Information Reference
  CALL NUMBER: ZA 5055.U6U55 2002
  http://www.netLibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=80813 (UM only)

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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:

• Department of State: http://fpc.state.gov/c18185.htm
• University of North Texas: http://digital.library.unt.edu/govdocs/crs/

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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Primary Source Materials

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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