U.S. Federal Documents & Resources

Bills

Congressional bills are legislative proposals from the House of Representatives and Senate within the United States Congress.

For more on Congressional Bills

Congressional Hearings

The J.D. Williams Library's collection of print Congressional Hearings are located on the 1st floor in the Federal Documents stacks at call number Y 4.

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves as shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. CRS experts assist at every stage of the legislative process — from the early considerations that precede bill drafting, through committee hearings and floor debate, to the oversight of enacted laws and various agency activities.

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. 

For more about Congressional Committee Prints

The J.D. Williams Library's collection of print Congressional Committee Prints are located on the 1st floor in the Federal Documents stacks at call number Y 4.

Congressional Committee Reports

Congressional reports originate from congressional committees and deal with proposed legislation and issues under investigation.

For more about Congressional Reports

The J.D. Williams Library's collection of print Congressional Committee Reports are located on the 1st floor in the Federal Documents stacks at call number Y 1.1/5: for the Senate and Y 1.1/8: for the House.

Congressional Documents (House & Senate Documents)

The Congressional Documents collection consists of House Documents, Senate Documents, and Senate Treaty Documents.

For more about Congressional Documents

The U.S. Serial Set contains the House and Senate Documents and the House and Senate Reports. The reports are usually from congressional committees dealing with proposed legislation and issues under investigation. The documents include all other papers ordered printed by the House or Senate. 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 J.D. Williams Library's collection of print U.S. Serial Set volumes are located on the 1st floor in the Federal Documents stacks at call number Y 1.1/2.

Congressional Record

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress.

An Overview of the Congressional Record and Its Predecessor Publications: A Research Guide

For more about the Congressional Record

The J.D. Williams Library's collection of print Congressional Records are located on the 1st floor in the Federal Documents stacks at call number X 1.1.

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.

For more on Public and Private Laws

Voting Records

U.S. 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. 

For more about the U.S. Code

The J.D. Williams Library's collection of print the United States Code is located on the 1st floor in the Federal Documents stacks at call number Y 1.2/5.

U.S. Statutes at Large

The J.D. Williams Library's collection of print United States Statutes at Large are located on the 1st floor in the Federal Documents stacks at call number AE 2.111.