Congressional Legislation: Accessing Historical and Current Information
Navigating Legislative Databases
Congress.gov: A Comprehensive Resource
Congress.gov offers a wealth of legislative information, including:- Full text of current legislation and summaries of historical bills (from 1973 onwards)
- Floor action amendments, co-sponsors, and committee information
- Access to enacted laws and statutes
- Historical legislation dating back to 1799
Library of Congress: Historical Archives
The Library of Congress provides historical legislative documents, such as:- Annals of Congress (1789-1824)
- Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837)
- Congressional Globe (1833-1873)
Browsing Legislation
Congress.gov: Filters and Categories
Congress.gov allows you to browse legislation by:- Law type (e.g., bills, resolutions, joint resolutions)
- Subject (e.g., healthcare, education, finance)
- Actions (e.g., introduced, passed, signed into law)
Monitoring Most-Viewed Bills
Congress.gov compiles a weekly list of the top 10 most-viewed bills. You can subscribe to email alerts to stay updated on trending legislation.Obtaining Copies of Bills
Full text versions of current bills can be found on Congress.gov. To obtain copies of historical bills, you can contact the Library of Congress or visit one of their reading rooms.
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