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U.S. Congressional Publications Index Sources & Locations


For a more extensive list of legal research materials held by the Arthur P. Oliver Law Library and
the Eli M. Oboler Library, please visit this page on Legal Research: Guide to Basic Sources.

Congressional Hearings & Committee Prints

Index Sources - Current

ProQuest Congressional Available only through ISU.
ProQuest Congressional is a commercial web index that provides researchers access to documents produced in the federal legislative process, in part since 1970, and almost in its entirety since 1993. This resource is excellent for tracing bills as well as for identifying hot topics discussed on Capitol Hill. This resource also contains links to a number of full-text resources available on the Internet as well as through commercial vendors.

Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications, 1909+
July 1976+- 2004  in Documents Stacks under (GP 3.8:) and June 1976 & earlier, in Documents Reference. Hearings are listed under name of committee in the index.

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP)
The Online catalog of the Government Printing Office, which replaces the printed Monthly Catalog. Contains publications since July 1976 and is updated daily. Older items are also being added to the catalog.

Index Sources--Retrospective

Cumulative Index of Congressional Committee Hearings. 9 vols [Covers early to 1980]
(Doc Ref Y 1.3:H 34/2 & Y 1.3:S.Pub.98-16)
Includes subject indexes. Gives titles and committees, dates of hearings, bill or resolution numbers, and Congresses. (SuDoc numbers are only given in 1979-80 cumulation. Use other sources to find SuDoc numbers.)
*Use only for pre-1969 hearings.*
For 1970+ use the C.I.S. Index to Publications of the U.S. Congress. (Ref JK 1 C12)

Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications [1909-1969]
(GP 3.8: June 1976, on  Index Table in Ref)
Hearings are listed under name of committee in the index.

Checklist of U.S. Public Document  [1789-1909]
(Ref GP 3.2:C 41/2)
See pages 1532-1652, the "Y 4 section". See also index under name of committee.

Congressional Reports and Documents

Index Sources - Current

Use sources listed under heading "Congressional Hearings & Committee Prints, Index Sources--Current"

Internet Sources

House & Senate Documents (From FDsys), beginning with the 99th Congress, 1985/86+
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=CDOC

House & Senate Reports (From FDsys), beginning with the 104th Congress, 1995/96+
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collection.action?collectionCode=CRPT

Index Sources - Retrospective

C.I.S. U.S. Serial Set Index. 13 vols, 40 parts [1789-1969]
(Ref Z1223 Z9C65 1975)
Important source. Commercial publisher's revised index to the Congressional Serial Set with author, subject, series, and Serial Set numbers indexes.

C.I.S. Index to U.S. Senate Executive Documents & Reports Covering Documents and Reports Not Printed in the U.S. Serial Set, 1817-1969. 1987.[1817-1969]
(Ref Z1223 Z7 C103 1967, v. 1-2)
v.1, Reference Bibliography; v. 2 Indexes. ISU does not have these reports.

Document Catalog. 25 vols [1893-1940]
(Doc Ref GP 3.6:)
An old index which gives Serial Set numbers in bold print.

Document Index. 38 vols [1900-1933]
(GP 3.7:)
Similar and more complete information can be found in the newer CIS U.S. Serial Set Index. Old source has a subject approach to the Congressional Serial Set. Documents are listed by series with their Serial Set numbers.

Numerical Lists and Schedules of Volumes [1933-1980]
(Doc Ref GP 3.7/2:)
Similar and more complete information can be found in the newer CIS U.S. Serial Set Index and the Serial Set Supplements. Old source contains a list of documents by series with their Serial Set numbers.

U.S. Congressional Serial Set Supplement [1981-1982 (97th Congress)]
(Doc Ref GP 3.34:)
Contains author, subject, and title access to Congressional reports and documents. Lists documents by series and gives Serial Set numbers.

U.S. Congressional Serial Set Catalog: Numerical Lists and Schedule of Volumes [1983-1992 (98th-104th Congress)]
(Doc Ref GP 3.34)
Similar to above source. Use to locate Serial Set numbers.

Location Helps - Congressional Reports & Documents

American State Papers (1789-1817)
Contains executive and legislative documents of the first 14 Congresses, 1789-1823. Grouped by subject categories such as Foreign Affairs, Indian Affairs, Military Affairs, and Public Lands.

Searchable database: American State Papers

Original print copies: Use Serial Set numbers 01-06, 09 to 13, 28-35. Shelved on DOC ROW 74, after Z call numbers.
Reprinted copies: The New American State Papers. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources Inc., 1972.
Use Serial Set numbers.01-11. Shelved on DOC ROW 74

U.S. Congressional Serial Set (1817+ )
Collection of congressional publications. Consists of numbered series of House and Senate reports and documents. (The ISU Library has many of the original paper volumes, but our Serial Set volumes are not complete. A holdings list is available in the Document Shelf List. Ask for assistance at the Reference Desk)

Searchable database: U.S. Congressional Serial Set 1817-1994

Print copies: On DOC ROWS 74-82.
Microfiche copies: All (96th Congress, 1979+ to date) House and Senate reports and documents are received on microfiche and shelved in the GPO microfiche cabinets under these stem numbers:
Y 1.1/3: Senate documents
Y 1.1/4: Senate treaty documents
Y 1.1/5: Senate reports
Y 1.1/6: Senate executive reports
Y 1.1/7: House documents
Y 1.1/8: House reports

Congressional Proceedings

All are located in the ISU Library Document Stacks (3rd floor) unless noted otherwise.

Full Congressional Proceedings

Annals of Congress 1st Congress through the first session of the 18th Congress (1789 to 1824)
(X 1 - X 42)
Bound copies: See DOC ROW 72
Century of Lawmaking—Annals of Congress (From the Library of Congress)

Register of Debates 18th Congress, 2nd Session through the 25th Congress, 1st Session (1824-1837)
(X 43 - X 71)
Bound copies: See DOC ROW 72
Century of Lawmaking—Register of Debates (From the Library of Congress)

Congressional Globe and Index 23rd through 42nd Congresses (1833-1873)
(X 72 - X 180)
Bound copies: See DOC ROW 72
Century of Lawmaking—Congressional Globe (From the Library of Congress)

Congressional Record and Index [1873+]
(X 181- )
Official verbatim report of congressional proceedings. Issued daily when Congress is in session.
Bound Volumes: See DOC ROWS 72-73 Through 94th Congress. Index and Daily Digest only for 95th Congress to present. See fiche for remaining bound volumes
Current daily issues & indexes: See DOC ROWS 73-74
Microfiche Bound Volumes: 95th Congress, 1977+  See GPO microfiche cabinets Call number X 1.1:
Internet Sources:
Century of Lawmaking—Congressional Record 43rd to 44th Congress 1873-1877 (From the Library of Congress)

Daily Congressional Record—1994 to present (From FDsys)

Daily Congressional Record Index—1983 to present (From FDsys)

Bound Congressional Record—1998-2002 (From FDsys)

Documentary History of the First Federal Congress.  [1789-1791]
v. 1. Senate Legislative Journal, v. 2. Senate Executive Journal & Related Documents, v.3. House of Representatives Journal. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1972-1977.
(KF350 D63 1972, v. 1-3, in 2nd floor stacks)

A Century of Law Making For a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1873 (From the Library of Congress). Contains documents of the Continental Congress, including the Journals of the Continental Congress, ; Journals of Congress, including House and Senate Journals, Senate Executive Journal,and Maclay's Journal, ; the debates of Congress, including the Annals of Congress, Register of Debates, and the Congressional Globe and Congressional Record and Statutes and Documents which include Bills and Resolutions, Statutes, the American State Papers, and selected documents from the Serial Set.
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html

Journals of the Continental Congress, vol. 1-34 plus index. [1774-1789]
(Z 2.5: DOC ROW 74)
Proceedings of the Congress.

Secret Journals of the Continental Congress. 4 vols [1774-1788]
(Z 2.8: DOC ROW 74)
v. 1, Domestic Affairs; v. 2-4, Foreign Affairs

Papers of the Continental Congress. [1774-1789]
3 rolls of microfilm
(Z 2.9: DOC ROW 74)

Senate Proceedings Only

Journal of the Senate. 8 vols [1789-1791, 1795-1814]
(Z 3.4: DOC ROW 74)
Internet Source [1789-1793, first two Congresses]
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwsj.html

Journal of William Maclay, U.S. Senator From Pennsylvania. (From the Library of Congress)
Contains some of the "few accounts we have of Senate floor activity of the early Congresses."
Internet Source:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwmj.html

Journal of the Senate of the United States. [1789-1791, 1939+]
(XJS: DOC ROW 74)
Official record of Senate proceedings.

Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States [1901+]
(Y 1.3/4: DOC ROW 57)
Records of secret Senate meetings, released after the fact.

House Proceedings Only

Journal of the House of Representatives. 10 vols [1789-1817]
(Z 3.5: DOC ROW 74)
Internet Source [1789-1793, first two Congresses]
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwhj.html

Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States [1939+]
(XJH: DOC ROW 74)
Official record of House proceedings.
 

Colonial Papers and Documents

Mar 1774-Jul 1776

American Archives. 4th Series. Containing a Documentary History of the United States of America from the King's Message to Parliament, of March 7, 1774 to the Declaration of Independence. New York: Johnston Reprint Corp., 1972. 6 vols.
(Z 1.1:4/1-6 DOC ROW 74)

Jul 1776-Sep 1783

American Archives. 5th Series. Containing a Documentary History of the United States of America from the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 to the Definitive Treaty of Peace with Great Britain, Sept. 3, 1783. New York: Johnston Reprint Corp., 1972. 3 vols.
(Z 1.1:5/1-3 DOC ROW 74)

Last Modified 12/18/2012 kk