Political Science 315: Legislatures and Legislation--Legislative Actions and Publications
Library Resource Guide

1. Bill number:
   When a bill is introduced into the House or Senate, it is given a number (e.g., H.R. 42, S. 1358). In many legislative research tools, one must know a bill's number to find information about it. To find the number of a bill based on its name or a subject area, consult:
   
   • CCH Congressional Index (328.73 BC73c)
   • Congressional Universe:
     • to find bills: use the "retrieve a specific bill by number" on the Bills, Laws and Regulation page.
     • to find bill text: use the "search the full text of bills by keyword command" on the Bills, Laws and Regulation page.

   • These tools are also useful for finding the current status of bill. For Congressional Universe, use track proposed legislation "by keyword or sponsor" or "by bill number" for legislation that is not yet a law. For public laws, use "search CIS Legislative Histories by keyword" or "retrieve a CIS Legislative History by number".

2. Hearings/Committee Prints:
   Each bill is assigned to a committee, which may hold hearings on the bill, and may also assign its staff or an outside consultant to prepare research studies, called committee prints, on the bill's likely impact. To find out if hearings or committee prints exist for a bill, consult:
   
   • CIS Annual: (1970- , 015.73 C76 low shelves)
   • CIS U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings Index (015.73 C497 low shelves)
   • CIS U.S. Congressional Committee Prints Index (015.73 C762c low shelves)
   • CIS Index to Unpublished U.S. Senate (or House) Committee Hearings (015.73 C496; Q.015.730532 C4972 low shelves)
   • Congressional Universe:
     • to find all Congressional publications, go to "Explore all congressional publications" page. One can search by committee, publication titles, witness name/affiliation, bill number, report number, etc.

3. Committee Reports:
   If the committee reports the bill favorably to the full house, a committee report accompanies the bill (e.g., H. Rept., 102-47, S. Rept. 101-316). Committee reports can be identified by consulting:
   
   • CCH Congressional Index (328.73 BC73c)
   • CIS Annual (1970- , 015.73 C76 low shelves)
   • Congressional Universe:
     • to find all Congressional publications, go to "Explore all congressional publications" page. One can search by committee, publication titles, witness name/affiliation, bill number, report number, etc.

4. Conference Reports:
   When the House and Senate pass bills which are similar but not identical, a conference committee of members from both houses meets to resolve the differences in the two bills. This committee usually returns a unified bill to both houses, along with a conference report. Conference reports are identified just as other House or Senate reports (e.g., H. Rept. 101-943).

5. Presidential Veto: (if any)
   If approved by both houses, the bill goes to the President for his/her signature or veto. If the bill is vetoed, a Presidential Veto Message accompanies the veto. These messages are printed in the:
   • Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (DOC.AE2.109)
     • Available online at the National Archives and Records Administration site

6. Public Law:
   If the President signs the bill, it is published as a Slip Law, with new number (e.g., Public Law 101-549 or P.L. 101-549). At the end of each session of Congress, new laws are compiled and published in:
   • U.S. Statutes at Large (DOC.AE2.111)
   • Available online at theNational Archives and Records Administration site [104th and 105th Congresses only]
   • Congressional Universe: use "search the public laws by keyword" or "retrieve a public law by number"

7. Summaries of Bills:
   For summaries of bills, check:
   • Digest of Public General Bills and Resolutions (DOC.LC14.6)
   • Congressional Universe: use "search CIS Legislative Histories by keyword" or "retrieve a CIS Legislative History by number".

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Last updated on 1/19/00
Created by Mary Mallory; Updated and expanded by Chad M. Kahl
Comments to Mary Mallory, Head of Government Documents Library
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