Our American Government: "The question-and-answer format covers a broad range of topics dealing with the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of our Government as well as the electoral process and the role of political parties." Includes a Glossary of Legislative Terms on p. 77.
U.S. House of Representatives: Tying it all together: Learn about the Legislative Process
How Laws Are Made
From Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. Includes a section tracking the legislative history of H.R. 408, The International Dolphin Conservation Program Act.
Legislative histories are a compilation of all documents relating to a law, and are used to determine the intent of the law. Laws can be traced through bills, committee reports, committee prints, hearings, and Presidential messages. Committee reports will usually contain a reason for the passage of a bill.
Keep track of the following numbers:
1. Bill number & when it was introduced.
2. Public Law number.
See the chart below for the documents associated with various stages of the bill's life cycle.
| Action | Online documents |
Print/Microfiche |
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Bill introduced A bill may be introduced in either the House of Representatives (H.R.) or the Senate (S). |
Proquest Congressional GPO Access Thomas |
Senate Bills: Y1.4/1: House Bills: Y1.4/6: Location: Microfiche (2nd floor), Government Documents (4th Floor). Use the card catalog on the 2nd floor for pre 1990 holdings. Search UC Catalog for additional documents not in our catalog. |
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Committee Action -The Bill is referred to the appropriate -A committee may hold hearings on a bill, which includes testimony; A committee or subcommittee may schedule -Then the bill is reported and placed on -If the committee recommends passage, -The Congressional Record notes when a bill is officially reported. |
Proquest Congressional Senate, House & Executive Reports Committee Reports (Thomas) U.S. Congressional Bibliographies American Memory (Library of Congress) |
House and Senate Committee Hearings: Y4.: Paper: 4th Floor Meriam Library Congressional Information Service (CIS) Index: Serial Set Index: Serial Set: 1789-1838 in paper in government documents, 4th floor. Doc Folio 1789-1838 in paper in governemnt documents, 4th floor, call number: Doc Z 8.2 1817- 1938: On Redex cards. Located on back wall, 2nd floor. Use index to locate documents. Senate Reports: Y1.1/5: House Reports: Y1.1/8 |
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Floor Debate The reported bill is then debated and amended. |
Proquest Congressional
Proquest Congressional |
CIS/Index: Indexes conference Congressional Record Index Congressional Record |
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Vote Members of both Chambers vote on the final |
Proquest Congressional THOMAS |
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President signs or vetoes A bill approved by both House & Senate is sent Presidential signing statements are published If the President vetoes it, it may go back to If the President does not return the bill to If Congress adjourns before the 10 day |
Proquest Congressional CIS Legislative history, 1970-current
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Weekly Compilation of Presidential CIS Legislative Histories of U.S. Public Papers of the Presidents Federal Register; |
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Public Laws When a bill becomes law, it is sent to the For example: Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention Public laws are first published as Slip laws. All laws passed for each Congressional |
Proquest Congressional THOMAS
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Public Laws (Slip Laws): U.S. Statutes at Large: United States Code: United States Code Annotated: |