Frequently Asked Questions: Law Library of Congress

The Law Library of Congress has published a comprehensive online research guide on the materials that comprise a federal legislative history, including congressional committee reports and hearings, presidential signing statements, and the debates of Congress. Instructions for tracing federal legislation are also included. Researchers can visit Compiling a Federal Legislative History: A Beginner’s Guide to start their research.

Additionally, the Law Library of Congress offers a webinar, Federal Legislative History, which provides an overview of U.S. federal legislative history resources, including information about the methods of identifying and locating them. In tackling this area of research, the focus is largely on finding these documents online. To register for this and other upcoming US law webinars offered by the Law Library, visit our Legal Research Institute page for US Law Webinars. To view a recording of past presentation of the class, visit the page for Past Presentations or use the link below.