Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff: Finding Documents, Analysis, News, and Training
Congressional research reportMay 11, 2026
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Policy and Legislative Research for
Congressional Staff: Finding Documents,
Analysis, News, and Training
Updated May 11, 2026
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R43434
SUMMARY
Policy and Legislative Research for
Congressional Staff: Finding Documents,
Analysis, News, and Training
This report is intended to serve as a finding aid for congressional documents, executive branch
documents and information, news articles, policy analysis, contacts, and training, for use in
policy and legislative research. It is not intended to be a definitive list of all resources, but rather
a guide to pertinent subscriptions available in the House and Senate in addition to selected
resources freely available to the public. This report is intended for use by congressional offices.
R43434
May 11, 2026
Sarah K. Braun
Research Librarian
Tilly Finnegan-Kennel
Research Librarian
Ellen M. Lechman
Research Librarian
Michele L. Malloy
Senior Research Librarian
Congressional Research Service
Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff
Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Congressional Documents ............................................................................................................... 1
Executive Branch Documents and Information............................................................................... 8
Legislative Support Agencies ......................................................................................................... 11
News, Policy, and Scholarly Research Sources ............................................................................. 14
Training and Services .................................................................................................................... 16
Tables
Table 1. Congressional Documents ................................................................................................. 2
Table 2. Tracking Congressional Activity ....................................................................................... 7
Table 3. Executive Branch Documents and Information ................................................................. 9
Table 4. Legislative Support Agencies .......................................................................................... 12
Table 5. Selected Congressional News Sources ............................................................................ 14
Table 6. Policy and Scholarly Research: Selected Multidisciplinary Sources .............................. 15
Table 7. Training and Services ...................................................................................................... 17
Table A-1. Alphabetical List of Resources with Descriptions ....................................................... 20
Appendixes
Appendix. Alphabetical Listing of Resources with Descriptions .................................................. 20
Contacts
Author Information........................................................................................................................ 22
Congressional Research Service
Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff
Introduction
During the legislative process, many documents are prepared by Congress and its committees.
Governmental and nongovernmental entities track and record congressional activities, and many
more entities chronicle and analyze the development of public policy. The wide availability of
such information can be daunting to those involved in policy and legislative research. This report
aims to assist congressional offices in identifying and accessing key resources used during such
research.
The resources’ titles and access information are presented in seven tables. The tables provide
information on how to find congressional documents (Table 1); information on tracking
legislative activity (Table 2); executive branch documents and information (Table 3); information
about legislative support agencies (Table 4); congressional news sources (Table 5); policy and
scholarly research sources (Table 6); and research-related training and services for congressional
staff (Table 7).
This report is not a comprehensive catalog of resources for conducting policy and legislative
research; instead, it provides a selection of widely used electronic resources. Some of the
resources mentioned are available only with a paid subscription, whereas others are free; this
availability is noted in the report along with the access points for congressional offices. Print
materials for time periods not covered by the resources listed in the tables may be available from
the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Law Library of Congress, or the House and
Senate Libraries. The inclusion of resources in this report does not imply endorsement by CRS of
the content or the products listed. In addition, CRS does not acquire or manage congressional
offices’ access to subscription resources.
CRS is available to congressional offices for consultation on policy and legislative research or to
perform such research upon request. CRS can also advise on the use of the resources listed in this
report, including advice on how to select the best resource to use, how to search for information
within a resource, or how to develop the most effective research methodology. Additional reports
on congressional operations are available in the “Congressional Administration & Elections” page
on CRS.gov.
Congressional Documents
Table 1 serves as a reference guide for locating congressional documents using both freely
available and subscription-based resources. The first column of the table lists documents
commonly used in policy and legislative research and typical citations for such documents. The
second column lists resources where these documents can be accessed. The third column contains
explanatory notes.
Table 2 provides information about how to access House and Senate committee schedules, floor
schedules, calendars, and floor proceedings, all of which can be helpful in tracking congressional
activities.
Access to subscription resources can vary among CRS, Senate, and House offices. See the notes
within the tables for more information. CRS subscriptions can be accessed through the CRS La
Follette Congressional Reading Room (locations and hours of operation are available in Table 7).
Unless otherwise indicated, all other resources are freely available.
Table A-1 provides additional information on the resources in Table 1, and Table 2, including
more detailed descriptions and URLs linking directly to the resources (when available).
Congressional Research Service
1
Table 1. Congressional Documents
Document
(Sample Citations)
Bills and Resolutions
(H.R. 123, S. 345, H.Res. 678,
S.J.Res. 910)
Draft Legislation and Amended
Legislation not yet available in
Congress.gov
Floor Amendments
(S.Amdt. 15, H.Amdt. 75)
CRS-2
Access Points
Notes
Congress.gov
Full text available 1993-present. Bill summaries available 1973-present. Selected bill text
and summaries available for prior years. Coverage date details are available here.
Bill text may not be available for several days following introduction or subsequent
congressional action.
CQ.com
The CRS subscription to CQ.com includes bill text from 1995 to present. Years of
coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to CQ may differ.
ProQuest Congressional
The CRS subscription to ProQuest Congressional includes bill and resolution text for all
Congresses. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to ProQuest
Congressional may differ.
Member or committee websites
Committees may make draft legislation or scanned markups of legislation available. To
locate committee websites, see listed information on the Congress.gov committee pages.
Individual sponsors may also post draft legislation on their individual House or Senate
Member websites.
U.S. House of Representatives
Document Repository
Committee documents may include draft legislation to be discussed at committee
meetings.
CQ.com
Draft legislation circulating among Members and the press prior to formal introduction
may be available on the CQ “Hot Docs” page. Select “Bills” under “Research,” and navigate
to Hot Docs.
Congress.gov
Full text available 1995-present. Amendment status available 1981-present. Amendments
can be found under the “Amendments” tab on a bill page, linking to full text in the
Congressional Record.
House Rules Committee
When the House Rules Committee votes to report a special rule to the full House for its
consideration, a Rules Committee report is prepared, which typically includes the text of
any specific amendments made in order by a structured rule. (Amendments that are made
in order may be considered when the House debates the legislation.) Legislation that is
subject to a special rule generally has a dedicated page on the Rules Committee website
with links to, among other information, the text and status of amendments that have been
submitted. See here for a list of legislation with special rules.
Senate Amendment Tracking System
Includes only submitted and proposed amendments to legislation pending before the U.S.
Senate; no older data are retained.
Document
(Sample Citations)
Roll Call Votes
(Roll no. 30, Record Vote
Number: 11)
Public Laws
(P.L. 111-148)
Statutes at Large
(124 Stat. 119)
U.S. Code
(42 U.S.C. 543, 35 U.S.C. §123(a))
CRS-3
Access Points
Notes
CQ.com
The CRS subscription to CQ.com includes the full text of amendments from 2001 to
present. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to CQ may differ.
Congress.gov
Includes House votes (1990-present) and Senate votes (1989-present). In an individual bill
overview, see the “Roll Call Votes” section, or navigate to the “Actions” tab within a bill
page. See the applicable help page for more information.
House.gov
Available 1990-present.
Senate.gov
Available 1989-present.
CQ.com
The CRS subscription to CQ.com includes access from 1983 to present. Years of coverage
in House and Senate subscriptions to CQ may differ.
All roll call votes are available in the Congressional Record. To find votes on specific issues,
over a time period, or other criteria, call CRS at 7-5700.
Congress.gov
Full text available 1951-present. Older public law text back to 1789 can be accessed
through Statutes at Large; see entry below.
govinfo.gov
Full text available 1995-present.
ProQuest Congressional
The CRS subscription to ProQuest Congressional includes public law text for all
Congresses. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to ProQuest
Congressional may differ.
govinfo.gov
Full text available 1789-2021.
ProQuest Congressional
The CRS subscription to ProQuest Congressional includes Statutes at Large for all
Congresses. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to ProQuest
Congressional may differ.
Law Library of Congress
The digitized U.S. Statutes at Large collection includes full text coverage from 1789 to
1951.
Office of the Law Revision Counsel
The online U.S. Code is frequently updated, and the currency date is displayed above the
text of each section. The main edition of the U.S. Code is published every six years by the
Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives, with annual
cumulative supplements.
Document
(Sample Citations)
Access Points
Notes
Statute Compilations
(Higher Education Act, Public
Health Service Act)
govinfo.gov
The House Office of the Legislative Counsel (HOLC) maintains unofficial compilations of
selected public laws, as amended, that either do not appear in the U.S. Code or that have
been classified to a title of the Code that has not been enacted into positive law. Each
compilation indicates the most recently enacted public law that amended the provisions
compiled.
Select HOLC Statute Compilations are publicly available through govinfo.gov. Information
about the recency of compilation updates can be found here.
Congressional Record Bound
(142 Cong. Rec. 15466)
govinfo.gov
Full text available 1873-2018.
The Congressional Record bound edition is the permanent version. The bound edition is
edited, revised, and rearranged, and so does not exactly replicate the daily version. The
pagination is continuous for each session, but there is no H, S, or E (for Extensions of
Remarks) before each page number. There is a volume number for each session and there
are numerous parts to each volume. The final two volumes of the permanent Record of
each session are an index containing a history of bills and resolutions and a compilation of
Daily Digests for the session.
ProQuest Congressional
The CRS subscription to ProQuest Congressional includes Congressional Record Permanent
Edition text from 1789 to 2009. This includes access to Congressional Record predecessors
Annals of Congress, Register of Debates, and Congressional Globe. Years of coverage in House
and Senate subscriptions to ProQuest Congressional may differ.
Congress.gov
Full text available 1873-1994.
Access to Annals of Congress (1789-1824), Register of Debates (1824-1837), and Congressional
Globe (1833-1873) is available using Browse by Congress. Select a 1789-1873 Congress and
see under the Debates of Congress heading.
Congress.gov
Full text available 1995-present. See “Congressional Record” link at top of any page.
The Congressional Record, daily edition, reports each day’s proceedings in Congress and is
published on the succeeding day. Pagination is preceded by an H, S, or E, to indicate
whether the recorded text took place in the House, the Senate, or was an Extension of
Remarks. Periodically, throughout a session, indices to the daily Record are published.
The Congressional Record Index provides topical access to remarks and activities by
Members, individuals, organizations, and legislative business mentioned in the daily Record.
Index entries include a linked Congressional Record page number and the date.
govinfo.gov
Full text available 1994-present.
Congressional Record, daily edition
(158 Cong. Rec. H5618)
CRS-4
Document
(Sample Citations)
Committee Hearings
(H.Hrg. 105-209, S.Hrg. 106-67)
Committee Reports
(H.Rept. 112-14, S.Rept. 110-55)
CRS-5
Access Points
Notes
CQ.com
The CRS subscription to CQ.com includes full text from 1987 to present. Years of
coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to CQ may differ.
ProQuest Congressional
The CRS subscription to ProQuest Congressional includes full text from 1985 to present.
Committee websites
Committee websites may offer transcripts, witness statements, or webcasts. To locate
committee websites, see listed information on the Congress.gov committee pages.
Congress.gov
Committee hearing transcripts are available from 1995 to the present for House, Senate,
and joint committee hearings.
govinfo.gov
See official published hearings on the “Browse Congressional Hearings” page. Coverage
dates vary by committee.
U.S. House of Representatives
Document Repository
See “Committee Repository” for House committee documents, which may include witness
bios, statements, and preliminary transcripts.
ProQuest Congressional
The CRS subscription to ProQuest Congressional includes records of hearings from 1824
to present. Full text of the published hearing is available when it is issued by GPO.
Unofficial transcripts may be available for unpublished hearings and hearings not yet
published by GPO. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to ProQuest
Congressional may differ.
CQ.com
The CRS subscription to CQ.com includes unofficial hearing transcripts for selected
hearings from 1989 to present. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to
CQ may differ.
C-SPAN
Offers streaming coverage or recordings of hearings, as well as unofficial captions. The CSPAN video library contains all C-SPAN programming that has aired since 1987. Some
programs aired since 2003 have searchable text transcripts of the program’s closed
captioning.
Congress.gov
Full text available 1995-present. On a bill page, select the “Committees” tab. Or click on
the Committees links at the top of any page and see the links to House and Senate reports
on the right side of the page.
govinfo.gov
Select committee reports available from 1817 to present.
ProQuest Congressional
The CRS subscription to ProQuest Congressional includes committee report text going
back to 1789. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to ProQuest
Congressional may differ.
Document
(Sample Citations)
Committee Markups and
Committee Amendments
Committee Prints
(H.Prt. 110-23,
S.Prt. 109-88)
Access Points
Notes
CQ.com
The CRS subscription to CQ.com includes full text from 1995 to present. Years of
coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to CQ may differ.
CQ.com
The CRS subscription to CQ.com includes committee markup coverage, including
committee votes, from 1989 to present, with committee amendments from 2005 to
present. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to CQ may differ.
Congress.gov
Legislation from 1973 to the present can be browsed by committee action, including
markup, for the House and the Senate.
Select committee markup transcripts can also be found by keyword searching markup OR
“mark up” within a search of committee meetings. See this search example.
Committee websites
Committees sometimes make markup materials available. To locate committee websites,
see listed information on the Congress.gov committee pages.
http://docs.house.gov/
U.S. House of Representatives
Document Repository
Materials in the “Committee Repository” may include staff memos, documents
summarizing legislation or amendments, unofficial transcripts, and vote records.
Note that committee reports may include information on amendments offered in
committee or committee votes.
govinfo.gov
Full text available 1995-present. Select prints available from prior years.
Congress.gov
Full text available 1993-present. Select prints available from prior years. See House, Senate,
joint committee prints.
ProQuest Congressional
The CRS subscription to ProQuest Congressional includes committee prints from 1830 to
present. Years of coverage in House and Senate subscriptions to ProQuest Congressional
may differ.
Source: Compiled by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on information gathered from the resources and organizations listed.
Note: Resources listed are available to congressional offices unless otherwise noted.
CRS-6
Table 2. Tracking Congressional Activity
Access Points
Committee Schedules
Floor Schedules and Calendars
Floor Proceedings
Congress.gov
Combined schedule for House and Senate.
Senate.gov
Includes meeting descriptions and locations.
U.S. House of
Representatives
Document Repository
See http://docs.house.gov/Committee/Calendar/ByWeek.aspx. Includes links to meeting
details with links to bills, testimony, and Member statements.
CQ.com
On the CQ homepage, navigate to the “Research” tab, and select “Schedules.”
Congress.gov
See “Floor Calendars” for links to House and Senate leadership schedules outlining when
the chamber will meet and legislation scheduled for consideration.
U.S. House of
Representatives
Document Repository
See “Bills to Be Considered on the House Floor” for links to the text of legislation
scheduled for consideration.
CRS.gov
See “On the Floor” for links to CRS products that focus on legislation or some of the key
issues involved in legislation slated to receive floor debate during the week.
House.gov
See “Legislative Activity” tab under “Legislative Information” on the homepage.
Senate.gov
See “Floor Proceedings” section on the homepage.
Source: Compiled by CRS.
Note: Resources listed are available to congressional offices.
CRS-7
Notes
Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff
Executive Branch Documents and Information
Table 3 serves as a reference guide for locating executive branch documents and information
using freely available resources. The first column of the table lists documents or information
commonly used in policy and legislative research and typical citations for such documents, where
applicable. The second column lists resources where these materials can be accessed. The third
column contains explanatory notes.
Table A-1 provides additional information on the resources in Table 3, including more detailed
descriptions and URLs linking directly to the resources (when available).
Congressional Research Service
8
Table 3. Executive Branch Documents and Information
Document/Information
Rules, Proposed Rules, and
Supplemental Regulatory Sources
Code of Federal Regulations
(15 C.F.R. 254)
Executive Orders
(E.O. 12893)
CRS-9
Access Points
Notes
FederalRegister.gov
FederalRegister.gov provides access to unofficial, HTML and PDF versions of
agency rules, proposed rules, and notices as published in the Federal Register.
Coverage is from 1994 to present.
govinfo.gov
GovInfo.gov provides access to official versions of agency rules, proposed
rules, and notices through its Federal Register collection. Coverage is from 1936
to present and all volumes are full-text searchable. For 1995-present, content
is available to view or download at the article level and by issue; for 1936-1994,
content is available to view or download by issue. See the help page for more
information.
Regulations.gov
Regulations.gov includes public comments in addition to final regulations,
notices, and other regulatory documents. In general, this resource provides
coverage from 2002 to present, with some variation by agency.
Reginfo.gov
Reginfo.gov includes information about current, anticipated, and past
regulatory actions as well as background information on the rulemaking
process. Components include the Regulatory Review Dashboard , which
provides information about regulatory actions currently under review, and the
Unified Agenda and Regulatory Plan, which “reports on the actions
administrative agencies plan to issue in the near and long term” and is useful in
identifying the status of planned regulatory changes. Editions of the Unified
Agenda are available from 1995 to present. Lists and statistics on regulatory
reviews date back to 1981.
govinfo.gov
The Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) annual edition is available from 1996 to
present. The Parallel Table of Authorities and Rules lists rulemaking authority
for regulations codified in the C.F.R.
ecfr.gov
The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations is a regularly updated, unofficial
editorial compilation of current C.F.R. material and Federal Register
amendments. ecfr.gov allows users to view a C.F.R. section as it appeared on a
specific date from January 2017 to present and compare a C.F.R. section from
two different dates within that time frame.
govinfo.gov
Executive orders are published in the following resources: the Federal Register,
Title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and the Compilation of Presidential
Documents. Coverage dates vary between resources.
Document/Information
Access Points
Notes
FederalRegister.gov
FederalRegister.gov provides access to executive orders (EOs) issued since
1937. Users can search for EOs or browse by President.
Executive Orders Disposition Tables
Historical Index (National Archives)
The National Archives and Records Administration provides access to
executive orders signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt through President
Barack Obama (January 8, 1937 to January 19, 2017).Error! Reference s
ource not found.
Presidential Proclamations
(Proclamation 9645)
govinfo.gov
Published in the Federal Register. Also available from 1993 to present in the
Compilation of Presidential Documents.
Presidential Signing Statements
govinfo.gov
Published in the Federal Register. Also available from 1993 to present in the
Compilation of Presidential Documents.
The President’s Fiscal Year Budget
Proposal
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
The OMB website provides the current President’s Budget.
govinfo.gov
Budgets from FY1922 to present are available from the Government Publishing
Office.
Agency Budget Justifications
Federal agency websites
An agency’s budget justification (also referred to as a congressional
justification) typically contains a detailed description of each program activity
and an explanation of the proposed changes for the next fiscal year. They are
usually available on the agency’s website and are also published as part of the
agency’s appropriations subcommittee hearings.
USASpending provides links to the budget justifications for selected federal
agencies.
Agency policy guidance, program
information, oversight and
performance reports, research
reports, and statistics
Federal agency websites
Agencies make a variety of information about their policies and programs
available on their websites, including policy manuals, memoranda, notices,
program instructions, performance metrics, enrollment/participation numbers,
inspector general reports, and research on program planning, implementation,
or effectiveness.
A list of executive branch agencies and links to their websites can be found in
the United States Government Manual.
CRS-10
Document/Information
Treaties
Access Points
Notes
Congress.gov
Information about treaty documents is available on Congress.gov for all
treaties submitted to the Senate since the 94th Congress (1975-1976). Treaties
submitted prior to the 94th Congress are included if they were pending in 1975.
Metadata is available for treaties submitted between 1975 (94th Congress) and
1995 (104th Congress). Full texts of treaty documents are available on
Congress.gov from 1995 (104th Congress).
Law Library of Congress
(or call CRS: 7-5700)
U.S. Treaties collection includes the United States Treaty Series (1776-1949)
and United States Treaties and Other International Agreements or TIAS
(1950-1984).
U.S. Department of State
The Department of State’s Office of Treaty Affairs compiles and publishes
online the texts of treaties and international agreements to which the United
States is a party through the Treaties and International Acts Series (TIAS).
Treaties and agreements from 1981 to present are available. Within each year,
there is a location (country) filter. For years prior to 2006, the collection is not
comprehensive.
Source: Compiled by CRS.
Note:
a. Beginning January 20, 2017 (the beginning of the first Trump Administration), executive orders and disposition tables are available only on FederalRegister.gov.
Legislative Support Agencies
The legislative support agencies are designed to be nonpartisan, objective, and impartial. The agencies each serve the Congress in different
ways. Contact information for each agency and a description of each agency and its services is outlined in Table 4, below. For additional
information about support agencies and resources that are helpful for legislative procedure and research, see CRS Report RS20120, Legislative
Support Resources: Offices and Websites for Congress.
CRS-11
Table 4. Legislative Support Agencies
Agency
Access Point and Contact
Description and Services
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
https://www.cbo.gov
Cost estimates:
Budget Analysis Division,
(202) 226-2800, costestimates@cbo.gov
Other inquiries:
Associate Director for Legislative Affairs,
(202) 226-2837, congressionalaffairs@cbo.gov
CBO produces independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support
the congressional budget process, including reports, projections, cost estimates,
scorekeeping, sequestration reports, budget options, and others. CBO does not make
policy recommendations.
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
https://www.crs.gov/a
Place a request:
(202) 707-5700, http://www.crs.gov/PlaceARequest
Connect In-Person:
Longworth Agency Connection Center (Longworth
ACC)
Longworth House Office Building, B-245
(202) 226-7100
CRS provides comprehensive research and analysis on all legislative and oversight
issues of interest to Congress. CRS assists Members and staff with identifying and
clarifying policy options; analyzing the implications of proposed policies; and assessing
policy, procedural, and oversight options. Acting as a research extension to the staff
of each Member and committee, CRS provides consultations, confidential
memoranda, reports, briefing documents, videos, advice on process and procedures,
expert committee testimony, and seminars.
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
https://www.gao.gov
Congressional relations:
(202) 512-4400, CongRel@gao.gov
Watchdog (http://watchdog.gao.gov) is a website
specifically for Members and congressional staff.b
Connect In-Person:
Longworth Agency Connection Center (Longworth
ACC)
Longworth House Office Building, B-245
(202)226-7100
GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. GAO’s work
is done at the request of congressional committees or subcommittees or as directed
by public laws or committee reports. GAO's products include reports, testimonies,
correspondence, and legal decisions and opinions. GAO also produces special
publications to assist Congress and executive branch agencies by recommending
changes for government programs and operations, identifying long-term trends, and
examining the nation’s fiscal health.
CRS-12
Agency
Government Publishing Office (GPO)
Access Point and Contact
Description and Services
https://www.gpo.gov/
Contact Us - Member of Congress or Staff:
https://ask.gpo.gov/s/contactsupport?type=congress
Congressional relations:
(202) 512-1968
https://www.gpo.gov/who-we-are/our-agency/
congressional-relations
GPO publishes and distributes information products and services for all three
branches of the federal government. They provide permanent public access to federal
government information at no charge through the Federal Depository Library
Program and GovInfo.gov.
Source: Compiled by CRS from agency websites.
Notes: Congressional liaison offices in other branches of government, including the judicial branch, executive branch, and independent agencies, boards, and
commissions provide information and services to congressional staff. For contact information, see https://www.crs.gov/constituent/congressional-liaison-offices.
a. The CRS website (http://www.crs.gov) is available only from congressional computers and devices. Public access to CRS reports is available through
https://www.congress.gov/crs-products.
b. The GAO Watchdog website (http://watchdog.gao.gov) is available only from congressional computers and devices.
CRS-13
Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff
News, Policy, and Scholarly Research Sources
Table 5 and Table 6 serve as finding aids for selected resources covering news, scholarly, and
policy research that may be related to Congress and the legislative process. Resources in these
tables may contain editorial content and analysis. Inclusion of these resources does not imply
endorsement of the views held by the publications listed. Please note that these tables are meant
to serve as suggested starting points rather than comprehensive lists of news, scholarly, and policy
resources. Congressional users seeking subject-specific resources can contact CRS for
recommendations.
Congressional users may also access databases subscribed to by the Library of Congress such as
ProQuest, Lexis+, Factiva, EBSCOhost, and many others, onsite in the CRS La Follette
Congressional Reading Room and the public reading rooms at the Library of Congress. In
addition, requests for literature searches and full text of specific articles can be submitted to CRS.
Congressional users also have access to various databases through the House Library and the
Senate Library.
Table 5. Selected Congressional News Sources
Source
Access Point
Bloomberg Government (BGOV)a
https://www.bgov.com
Bloomberg Law (BLAW)a
https://www.bloomberglaw.com
CQa
https://www.plus.cq.com
CQ Roll Call
https://www.rollcall.com
The Hill
https://www.thehill.com
Inside Washington Publishersa
https://iwpnews.com
National Journala
https://www.nationaljournal.com
Politico
https://www.politico.com
Politico Proa
https://www.politicopro.com
Punchbowl Newsa
https://punchbowl.news
Source: Compiled by CRS.
Note:
a. A subscription-based resource. Check for availability in a specific office, the House or Senate Libraries, or
the La Follette Congressional Reading Room in the James Madison Building.
Congressional Research Service
14
Table 6. Policy and Scholarly Research: Selected Multidisciplinary Sources
Background
Information
Statistics/
Data
Research
Articles/
Reports
Bureau of Economic Analysis
(U.S. Department of Commerce)
+
+
—
https://www.bea.gov
Bureau of Labor Statistics
(U.S. Department of Labor)
+
+
+
https://www.bls.gov/
Digital Commons Network
(Academic Consortium)
+
—
+
https://network.bepress.com
EDGAR
(U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)
—
+
—
https://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/
webusers.htm
FRASER and FRED
(Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)
+
+
+
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
https://fred.stlouisfed.org
Google Scholar
(Google)
+
—
+
https://scholar.google.com
HathiTrust Digital Library
(Academic Consortium)
+
—
+
https://www.hathitrust.org
JSTORa
(Nonprofit ITHAKA)
+
—
+
https://www.jstor.org
National Academies Press
(National Academies)
+
—
+
https://nap.nationalacademies.org
NBER Working Papers and Publications
(National Bureau of Economic Research)
—
+
+
https://www.nber.org
National Technical Reports Library
(U.S. Department of Commerce)
—
—
+
https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/
OECD Data and Publications
(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)
+
+
+
https://www.oecd.org
https://data.oecd.org
Open Knowledge Repository
(World Bank)
+
—
+
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org
Source
(Maintained by)
CRS-15
Access Point(s)
Background
Information
Statistics/
Data
Research
Articles/
Reports
Oxford Research Encyclopedias0
(Oxford University Press)
+
—
—
https://oxfordre.com
Social Science Research Network
(Academic Consortium)
—
—
+
https://www.ssrn.com/index.cfm/en
U.S. Census—Topics, Data, Library, & My Congressional District
(U.S. Census Bureau)
+
+
+
https://www.census.gov/topics.htmlb
https://data.census.gov/
https://www.census.gov/library.html
https://www.census.gov/mycd
Source
(Maintained by)
Access Point(s)
Source: Compiled by CRS from the Library of Congress catalog.
Notes: “+” indicates that this type of information is included in the source; “—” indicates that this type of information is not included in the source.
a. A subscription-based resource available in many House and Senate offices and also at the CRS La Follette Congressional Reading Room in the James Madison
Building.
The Census Bureau “Topics” page (https://www.census.gov/topics.html) links to data, news, and tools arranged by various themes such as education or health. The
Census’s data search platform is at http://data.census.gov. The “Library” page (https://www.census.gov/library.html) collects Census information resources including
publications, fact sheets, and videos. The “My Congressional District” page (https://www.census.gov/mycd/) provides selected American Community Survey statistics by
congressional district.
Training and Services
Table 7 contains a list of locations where congressional staff can obtain training and other services on Capitol Hill.
CRS-16
Table 7. Training and Services
Name
Location and Contact
Hoursa
Services
Congressional Research Service (CRS)
CRS
Phone: (202) 707-5700
http://www.crs.govb
Phones monitored:
M-Th 8a-8p
F 8a-6p
Saturday when either
chamber is in session
10a-5p
Place a Request
monitored: M-Fr 8a6p
Research and analysis related to legislative issues.
Personalized briefings.
Seminars on the following topics:
- Appropriations and Budget
- Federal Legal Research
- Legislative Process
- Policy and Legal Issues
Programs for District Offices.
For training and program descriptions and current schedules,
visit http://www.crs.gov/Events/Index.
La Follette Congressional Reading
Room
Library of Congress, Madison Building: LM-202
Phone: (202) 707-7100
Database access; reference and research assistance.
Longworth Agency Connection
Center (Longworth ACC)
Longworth House Office Building, B-245
Phone: (202) 226-7100
M-F 10a-4p.
Walk-in questions concerning CRS products and services.
Library of Congress, Madison Building, LM-611
(202) 707-6577
cro@loc.gov
https://www.loc.gov/offices/congressionalrelations-office/about-this-office/c
M-F 8:30a-5:30p
Point of contact to access/request Library of Congress services
for Members and staff, including book loans, tours of the
Library, events, and educational resources.
Phones monitored: MTh 10a-8p and F 10a6p
Saturday when either
chamber is in session
10a-5p
The reading room is
open to visitors M-F
10a-5p
Library of Congress (non-CRS)
Congressional and Intergovernmental
Relations Office (CRO)
CRS-17
Name
Location and Contact
Hoursa
Services
Law Library of Congress
Library of Congress, Madison Building: LM-242
(202) 707-2700
https://www.loc.gov/research-centers/lawlibrary-of-congress/for-congress/
While Congress is in
session, M-F 8:30a-8p
and Sat 8:30a-5p.
Phones monitored
while either chamber
is in session.
While Congress is on
recess, M-Th 8:30a8p, F 8:30a-6p, and Sat
8:30a-5p.
Assists Congress with information and analysis on U.S., foreign,
comparative, and international law.
Training in the following topics:
-Legislative research
-Statutory research
-Orientation to Law Library collections
Library of Congress Reading Rooms
Library of Congress, Jefferson, Madison, and
Adams Buildings
A list of all reading rooms and research
centers can be found at https://www.loc.gov/
research-centers/.
Hours vary, but most
reading rooms are
open M-F 8:30a-5p. A
few are open until
8:30p M-Th, and a few
are open on
Saturdays. Hours for
each reading room is
listed by location.
Library of Congress staff are able to assist with identifying and
requesting materials in general and specialized reading rooms.
General and specialized orientations are also available (see
https://www.loc.gov/research-centers/main/about-this-researchcenter/consultation-and-orientation/).
Congressional Staff Academy
Longworth B248
(202) 226-3800
staffacademy@mail.house.gov
https://housenet.house.gov/page/4398d
M-F 8:30a-5:30p
The Congressional Staff Academy offers training courses to help
staff advance their careers. There is a wealth of courses that are
personalized based on a variety of topic areas and taught in
several formats to make them more accessible. Staff can take
the courses in a classroom atmosphere or through webinars.
House Library
Cannon 292
(202) 225-9000
library@mail.house.gov
https://housenet.house.gov/page/3920e
M-F 9a-6p
Offers research assistance, subject guides, database access and
training. Staff lead trainings on ProQuest, Congress.gov, and
digital mapping held in the House Learning Center.
House of Representatives
CRS-18
Name
Location and Contact
Hoursa
Services
While the Senate is in
session, M-F 9a-6p (or
until adjournment).
During recess, M-F
9am-5p.
Offers research assistance, database access, and training. Staff
offer classes both in-person and via webinar on news sources,
Congress.gov, and various subscription databases.
Senate
Senate Library
Russell B15
(202) 224-7106
reference@sec.senate.gov
https://webster.senate.gov/libraryf
Source: Compiled by CRS.
Notes:
a. Appointments may be preferred. Check website information to confirm hours and schedule an appointment if needed.
b. The CRS website (http://www.crs.gov) is available only from congressional computers and devices.
c. The Library of Congress Congressional Relations Office website (https://www.loc.gov/offices/congressional-relations-office/about-this-office/) is available only from
congressional computers and devices.
d. The Congressional Staff Academy website (staffacademy.house.gov) is available only from House computers and devices.
e. The House Library website (https://library.house.gov/) is available only from congressional computers and devices.
f.
The Senate Library website (https://webster.senate.gov/library) is available only from Senate computers and devices.
CRS-19
Appendix. Alphabetical Listing of Resources with Descriptions
Table A-1 provides an alphabetical listing of, and in some cases additional details about, the resources listed in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.
Table A-1. Alphabetical List of Resources with Descriptions
Resource
Description
Congress.gov
https://www.congress.gov
Congress.gov is the official website for federal legislative information. It also provides access to the
Congressional Record daily edition, committee materials, nominations, treaty documents, and executive
communications. Congress.gov provides (1) a single search across all available information and years;
(2) permanent URLs; (3) faceted search filters; (4) Member profiles; and (5) bill summaries and lists of
actions for legislation. The site gives users with legislative branch devices access to CRS reports and
products from bill records, the homepage, and help pages.
CQ (Congressional Quarterly)
https://www.cq.com
This subscription database provides bill text, summaries, tracking, and analysis. It also includes (but is
not limited to) roll-call votes, legislative histories, floor and committee schedules, detailed committee
coverage, and hearing transcripts. Coverage dates vary by information category. A basic CQ.com
subscription is available in all House and Senate offices.
C-SPAN
https://www.c-span.org
C-SPAN is a private, nonprofit company that provides public access to the political process. It includes
a searchable video library of hearings, floor debate, press conferences, speeches, and other types of
news programs and events.
U.S. House of Representatives Document Repository
https://docs.house.gov/
Docs.house.gov provides access to committee documents and text of legislation being considered in
committee and by the House. Documents are made available in accordance with the rules of the
House of Representatives and standards adopted by the Committee on House Administration.
Committee documents can be browsed by committee name or searched through a basic search
interface. Legislation text can be browsed by date; there is no search functionality for legislation. See
the help page for more information.
eCFR (electronic Code of Federal Regulations)
https://www.ecfr.gov
The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) is a regularly updated, unofficial editorial
compilation of C.F.R. material and Federal Register amendments. The eCFR Point-in-Time System
(https://www.ecfr.gov/reader-aids/using-ecfr) provides a way of exploring the current C.F.R. as well as
past versions from January 2017-present.
Executive Orders Disposition Tables Historical Index (National
Archives)
https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/
disposition
The National Archives and Records Administration provides access to executive orders signed by
President Franklin D. Roosevelt through President Barack Obama (January 8, 1937 to January 19,
2017). Beginning January 20, 2017, executive orders and disposition tables are available only on
FederalRegister.gov.
CRS-20
Resource
Description
FederalRegister.gov
https://www.federalregister.gov
This site is jointly administered by the National Archives and Records Administration and the U.S.
Government Publishing Office (GPO) to provide an unofficial, HTML edition of the daily Federal
Register to make it easier for citizens and communities to understand the regulatory process and to
participate in government decisionmaking.
GovInfo
https://www.govinfo.gov
GovInfo provides free online access to official publications from all three branches of the federal
government. GovInfo is managed by the Government Publishing Office (GPO).
ProQuest Congressional
https://congressional.proquest.com/
This subscription database contains detailed abstracts and links to the full text of many congressional
and federal documents, such as the Congressional Record, congressional hearing transcripts, committee
prints, and legislative histories. Coverage dates vary by information category, although coverage for
most categories begins in 1789 or at some point in the 1800s. ProQuest Congressional is available in
all House and Senate offices.
Reginfo.gov
https://www.reginfo.gov
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the General Services Administration maintain the
Reginfo.gov website, which can be used to search proposed and final rules under review at OMB’s
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and to search the Unified Agenda, which lists upcoming
proposed and final rules by agency.
Regulations.gov
https://www.regulations.gov/
This site provides a government-wide portal for the public to review and comment on published
regulatory actions and to view any supporting materials provided by the agency.
Senate Amendment Tracking System (ATS)
https://ats.senate.gov/
ATS is a web application that displays images of submitted and proposed amendments to legislation
pending before the U.S. Senate. Amendments are available on ATS approximately 15 minutes after the
Bill Clerk receives them.
U.S. Code (Office of the Law Revision Counsel)
https://uscode.house.gov/
The Office of the Law Revision Counsel (OLRC) of the House of Representatives revises, prepares,
and publishes the U.S. Code. The OLRC staff updates the online version of the Code on an ongoing
basis. The currency date for each section of the Code is displayed above the text of the section.
Historical versions of the Code are available on the OLRC website beginning with 1994. The OLRC
publishes a complete new edition of the U.S. Code every six years (also called the “main edition” or
“printed version”), with annual cumulative supplements. The current main edition of the Code was
published in 2024.
Source: Compiled by CRS, based on information gathered from the resources and organizations listed.
CRS-21
Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff
Author Information
Sarah K. Braun
Research Librarian
Ellen M. Lechman
Research Librarian
Tilly Finnegan-Kennel
Research Librarian
Michele L. Malloy
Senior Research Librarian
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
Congressional Research Service
R43434 · VERSION 24 · UPDATED
22
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.