Research Guides: Political Science: Laws and Legislation

Laws and Legislative History

Legal research is a broad field. You may wish to read a specific law or learn the history of legislation. The links below are starting points for your research in these areas.

ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window
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Comprehensive online collection of primary source congressional publications and legislative research materials covering all topics, including government, current events, politics, economics, business, science and technology, international relations, social issues, finance, insurance, and medicine. Finding aid for congressional hearings, committee prints, committee reports and documents from 1970-2010, and the daily Congressional Record from 1985-present. Compiled legislative histories from 1969-present.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Nexis Uni includes full text newspapers, company news and financial information, as well as federal, state, and international legal materials. Also contains some medical and reference sources.

Congress.gov
The official source for federal legislative information from 1995 to current day. It includes legislation, The Congressional Record (verbatim account of remarks made in congress), committee information, and committee reports.
govinfo
govinfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
Congressional Research Service Reports
CRS is the public policy research arm of Congress and is well-known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective and nonpartisan. This site is not affiliated with the CRS, but aims to provide integrated, searchable access to full-text CRS reports.
LLSDC's Legislative Source Book
Finding aids for locating current legislation, including titles such as, Federal Legislative History Research: A Practitioner's Guide, Internet and Online Sources of U.S. Legislative and Regulatory Information, and links to websites of State Legislatures, State Laws and State Regulations.
Congressional Digest
Reports on pros and cons, background and verbatim arguments of legislation before Congress, each issue dealing with one law under consideration.

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Political Science

Laws and Legislative History