Congressional & Legislative Research : Frequently-Asked Questions

Step in the process:

A Bill is introduced in the House or Senate

Sources of information:

Congressional Record (available via GPO Access and THOMAS)
Note: not all bills are reprinted in the Congressional Record.

Text of Congressional Bills is available via GPO Access and THOMAS

Depository Microfiche Collection (Social Sciences Library, 2nd Floor Paterno Library. Use The CAT to determine if the Libraries have a physical copy.

Step in the process:

Referral of bill to committees and subcommittees for discussion

Sources of information:

for the Introduction of a Bill and Referral to Committee:

• Congressional Record (also available online via GPO Access and THOMAS)

• GPO Access

• House and Senate Calendar files

for Historical Resources:

• THOMAS (Library of Congress)

• Congressional Index

Step in the process:

Hearings are held in committee then the bill returns to floor of the House or Senate accompanied by committee reports or documents.

Sources of information:

Hearings and Testimony:

THOMAS: Hearings files and links to Committee Home Pages

Indexes to Hearings:

• CIS Index

• LexisNexis Congressional
  available to researchers with a Penn State Access Account

Committee Reports and Documents:

• Congressional Reports and Documents files (via GPO Access)

Indexes to Committee Reports:

• CIS Index (also available electronically at LexisNexis Congressional to researchers with a Penn State Access Account)

• Monthly Catalog of United States government publications (also available online from the Government Printing Office

• U.S. Congressional Serial Set : Numerical Lists and Schedule of Volumes

Step in the process:

Debates are held on floor of the House or Senate.

Votes are taken on floor of the House or Senate.

Sources of Information:

• Congressional Record
  also available online via GPO Access and THOMAS

• CQ Weekly Report
  also available online to researchers with a Penn State Access Account.

• Congressional Quarterly Almanac

• Congressional Roll Call

Step in the process:

If bill is passed by the House and Senate, it is sent to the President for action.

Sources of information:

• White House Home Page

• Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
  also available electronically via the Government Printing Office.

• Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States
  also available electronically via the Government Printing Office

Step in the process:

Once signed by the President, a law is printed and incorporated into the body of U.S. law.

Sources of information:

United States Statutes at Large
the official compendium of United States public and private laws.

United States Code
United States public laws arranged by subject.

U.S. Code on the Web:

• U.S. Code via GPO Access

• U.S. Code via LexisNexis Congressional
  available to researchers with a Penn State Access Account

• U.S. Code via Cornell University

Shepard's Acts and Cases by Popular Name

United States Code Congressional and Administrative News

Step in the process:

The exact route that a bill took to become law is compiled into a legislative history.

Sources of information:

• CIS Index
  also available online via LexisNexis Congressional (with a Penn State Access Account).

• THOMAS (Library of Congress)

• GPO Access History of Bills (Government Printing Office)

United States Code Congressional and Administrative News

• Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States via GPO Access

• Journal of the Senate of the United States

Step in the process:

The Executive Branch of Government writes rules and regulations needed to put the law into action.

Sources of information:

Preliminary rules and regulations:

• Federal Register
  also available online via GPO Access (Government Printing Office)

• CIS Federal Register Index
  also available online via LexisNexis Congressional (with a Penn State Access Account).

Final rules and regulations:

• Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
  also available online via GPO Access (Government Printing Office).

• CIS Index to the Code of Federal Regulations
  also available online via LexisNexis Congressional. (with a Penn State Access Account).