When doing legislative history research, there's often no need to start from scratch. Prepared legislative histories range from a list of documents associated with a law, to gathered reprints of those documents, to narrative commentary on the ratification process. Check first for compiled legislative histories (gathered documents) in these resources.
This integrated electronic and microfiche collection provides extensive legislative history resources. The print indexes of the microfiche set and the Congressional database provide access to materials by keyword, Public Law number, document number, and SuDoc number. ProQuest Congressional supplies full-text pdfs. The CIS microfiche set provides many documents not included in the online collection. In addition to hearings and reports, these resources contain citations to discussion in the Congressional Record and Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents.
West's United States Code Congressional and Administrative News reprints legislation and excerpts of associated documents beginning with the 77th Congress. For each session of Congress there is a subject index and a legislative history table. Each legislative history provides references to bill numbers, reports, and discussion in the Congressional Record.
Select compiled legislative histories in pdf form.
These finding aids point you toward compiled legislative histories or lists of documents associated with bills and laws.
by Nancy P. Johnson (1979, suppl. 2007)
compiled by Bernard D. Reams (1994)
This finding aid in the Congressional Record provides references to discussions and citations to the House or Senate Reports associated with a particular bill. Each session has this index.
This looseleaf service is useful in providing up-to-date informationo n the status of current bills. For past Congresses, this index provides bill status, calendaring and action information that will aid in finding full documents. There are two volumes for each Congress, one for action in the Senate and one for the House. Bills are indexed by subject, summarized and linked to associated reports.
A historical index following the legislatiion status. Printed each year; two parts per Congress.
Law review articles may trace the development of a specific law. Search the standard legal literature databases in HeinOnline (Law Journal Library), Lexis (LGLPUB), and Westlaw (JLR) to find such articles.
Narrative accounts may also be included as chapters in books. Use the Library Search to find materials on your topic.
Over the years the U.S. Department of Justice staff compiled legislative histories. The very select list of histories available is at the DOJ website.
