Federal Legislative History Research

This highly recommended publication- part of the Law Librarians Society of Washington, D.C.'s, LLSDC Legislative Sourcebook- provides a detailed discussion and practical tips for performing federal legislative history research, as well as advice for locating legislative intent within legislative history documents. For help with compiling legislative histories for pre 1970 public laws see the section: "Compiling a Federal Legislative History from Older Records."

This guide and the accompanying presentation materials (PDF documents), provide an excellent overview of, and instructions on, basic federal legislative history research.

Provides an overview of federal legislative history research, the legislative process, and where to find congressional documents. The report also summarizes some of the reasons researchers are interested in legislative history, briefly describes the actions a piece of legislation might undergo during the legislative process, and provides a list of easily accessible print and electronic resources.

An excellent guide to research U.S. congressional documents and information. Many of the print and online resources referred to in the guide are available at the law library and libraries on-campus.

A detailed breakdown of the different elements of a federal bill, how these elements are reflected in the United States Code, and how they impact statutory interpretation.