Sources for the Text of Congressional Bills and Resolutions

Part of the research materials on LLSDC's Legislative Source Book


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
Congress.gov - Bills and Resolutions from the 103rd Congress (1993) to Present
GPO FDsys - Cong. Bills & Res. from 103rd Cong. (1993) to the Present (PDF & HTML)
GovTrack.us - Bill Search from the 106th 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
Proquest Digital U.S. Bills and Resolutions: 1789 to Present (pre 20th Century not yet complete)
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, Assistant Law Librarian, Federal Reserve Board Law Library. Additional source suggestions and corrections are welcome, please send them to the Legislative SIS.

Last revised in October 2013