Sources for the Text of Congressional Bills and Resolutions

Online Sources

Library of Congress - Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation - Bills and Resolutions
- - House Bills and Resolutions, 6th thru 42nd Congresses (1799 - 1873)
- - Senate Bills and Resolutions, 16th thru 42nd Congresses (1819 - 1873)
THOMAS - Bills and Resolutions from the 101st Cong. (1989) to the Present
GPO FDsys - Cong. Bills & Res. from 103rd Cong. (1993) to the Present (PDF & HTML)
GovTrack.us - Bill Search from the 106h Cong. (1999) to the Present
CQ Roll Call - Subscription - Bills and Resolutions from the 100th Cong. (1987) to Present
LexisNexis.com - Subscription - Bills & Res. from the 101st Cong. (1989) to Present
Westlaw.com - Subscription - Bills & Res. from the 102d Cong. (1991) to Present

Microform Sources

Law Library of Congress - Bills and Resolutions, 1789 to near Present (Microfilm and Paper)
Center for Research Libraries in Chicago - 1st to 72d Cong., 1789-1933 (LoC Coll. - MF)
Harvard University Hollis Library - 1st to 72nd Cong., 1789-1933 (LoC Coll. - MF) 
Senate Library, U.S. - Billa & Resolutions, 1789 to near present (LoC Collection - MF)
Stanford University Libraries - 1st to 72nd Congress (1789-1933)
Other Libraries: see OCLC.com and WorldCat.org
CIS Congressional Bills, Resolutions and Laws (Proquest): 1933 to near current Cong.
GPO Bills and Resolutions on Microfiche - 96th Cong. - 106th Cong. (1979-2000)
- - Federal Depository Libraries in the U.S. - Regional & Selective (most should have)

Paper Sources

Law Library of Congress - Bills and Resolutions, 1789 to near Present (Microfilm and Paper)
Center for Legislative Archives - selected Congressional committee files
University of California at Berkeley (Bills & Resolutions 1937-1971 - NRLF storage facility)
Federal Agency Libraries and Record Units - selected past bill files
House and Senate document rooms for current Congress (202/226-5200 / 202-224-7860)
Congressional Record - selected bills after intro. remarks (especially Senate side after 1971)
Congressional Record - text of measures after passing a Chamber; sometimes before
Committee hearings on bills frequently have the text of bills
Selected House and Senate Committee Reports have text of bills as reported

 

Compiled by Richard J. McKinney (rick.mckinney@frb.gov) , Assistant Law Librarian, Federal Reserve Board Law Library. Additional source suggestions and corrections are welcome.

Last revised in December, 2011