98-461 C
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Tracking Current Federal Legislation and
Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources
May 7, 1998
Carol D. Davis
Information Research Specialist
Congressional Reference Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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ABSTRACT
This report is a guide to basic sources useful in tracking federal legislation and
regulations. It has been prepared primarily for the use of constituents who wish to follow the
federal government's legislative or regulatory activities at the local level. Brief annotations for
the selected printed, telephone, electronic, and related sources describe their scope, focus, and
frequency, include publisher contact information, and provide Internet addresses where
available. It will be updated for the beginning of each session.

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Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations:
A Guide to Basic Sources
Summary
By using a variety of selected basic printed, telephone, electronic, and related
sources, constituents can track federal legislation and regulations at the local level.
Those who prefer weekly overviews would be interested in such publications as
Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, Weekly Compilation of Presidential
Documents, Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News and World Report. For daily coverage,
printed sources such as the Congressional Record, CQ Monitor, Federal Register,
New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, as
well as such databases as THOMAS, GPO Access, the Internet Home Pages of the
U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, LEXIS-NEXIS, and WESTLAW,
would be helpful.
The Code of Federal Regulations, CIS/Index to Publications of the United
States Congress, CIS Federal Register Index, and CIS Index to the Code of Federal
Regulations provide codified or indexed access to legislative and regulatory
documents. Telephone sources such as Capitol Hill's office of legislative information,
the White House's office of the executive clerk, and the office of the Federal Register
can provide brief information on legislative and regulatory developments too new to
have been captured by standard printed or electronic sources. Brief looks at
directories and other media sources are provided, as is a bibliography. Annotations
for each source contain publisher contact information and pertinent Internet
addresses.

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Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Tracking Current Federal Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Printed Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Telephone Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Tracking Current Federal Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Printed Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Telephone Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Selected Databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Other Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Reference Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Media Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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Tracking Current Federal Legislation and
Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources
Introduction
Tracking the status of current legislation and regulatory issues is often perceived
as a formidable task, requiring a vast library of expensive resources, an in-depth
knowledge of the issue, and an intimate understanding of the federal government’s
inner workings. This is not necessarily true. While access to sophisticated retrieval
methods and comprehensive knowledge of the governmental system may be helpful,
it is possible for most constituents to follow an issue using a variety of resources
available locally. It is important to note, though, that this process can be complicated
and time-consuming, depending on the scope of the issue.
This guide has been designed to introduce researchers to some of the basic
sources which are useful in acquiring background information or specific facts on the
status of federal legislative or regulatory activities. Printed, telephone, electronic, and
media sources are included, as well as pertinent directories, such as those of
organizations that track areas of interest. Annotations describing the contents and
organization of each source are included so that researchers can select those which
most nearly fit individual needs. Internet addresses usually provide information about
the items, rather than access to them.
Most of the publications cited in this guide can be found and used in local public
or research libraries. The publications of the federal government can usually be found
in libraries designated as federal depository libraries.
Since several databases (including some on the Internet) may expedite a
particular search, brief listings of pertinent ones are provided in the “Selected
Databases” section.
For all other materials, publisher contact information has been provided. Since
pricing structures vary by subscriber type and prices change frequently, publishers
should be contacted to obtain the latest order information. Publications from the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO) can be ordered, prepaid, by mail, telephone, or fax
on any of the following credit cards: Discover/NOVUS, MasterCard, or VISA. GPO
bookstores located in selected cities throughout the United States can be identified
by consulting a local telephone directory under the listing “U.S. Government.” All
contact and descriptive information is accurate as of the time of this printing; it is, of
course, subject to change.
For information on more in-depth sources covering federal legislative activities,
see CRS Report 97-10, The Congressional Scene: Selected Publications Covering
the Congress.

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CRS-2
Tracking Current Federal Legislation
Action on legislation passed or pending in the current Congress, and its status
in the legislative process, is reported in the Congressional Record. This is the primary
source for the text of floor debates and the official source for recorded votes.
Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report is one of the commercial publications
that track the status of current legislation.
Since some current legislation amends previously enacted legislation, it may
occasionally be necessary to consult the earlier laws in the United States Statutes at
Large or the United States Code.
Printed Sources
CIS/Index to Publications of the United States Congress
Congressional Information Service, Inc.
Telephone: (301) 654-1550
4520 East-West Highway
(ask for Order Department)
Bethesda, MD 20814-3389
(800) 638-8380
Internet: [http://www.cispubs.com]
Fax: (301) 654-4033
Frequency: Monthly index and abstracts issues, with annual cumulations
This source provides detailed abstracts of congressional publications such
as printed hearings, reports, committee prints, and documents. Some of its
access points are title, subject, publication number, bill number, and witness
names. Also, the legislative histories of public laws are provided. Coverage
dates are 1970 through the present.
For information on computerized access to this publication, see the
“Selected Databases” section beginning on p. 7.
Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 887-8500
1414 22 Street, N.W.
nd
(800) 432-2250
Washington, D.C. 20037
Fax: (202) 785-4415
Internet: [http://www.cq.com]
Frequency: Weekly, with special supplements and annual Almanac
This weekly summary of congressional action and developments contains
tables indicating the status of appropriations and major legislation, charts
detailing recorded votes in both Chambers, and topical treatments of committee
and floor actions. Most issues include articles providing current and background
information on topics of legislative interest. Occasionally, special reports are
printed. Quarterly indexes are issued, and the annual Congressional Quarterly
Almanac is a comprehensive review of the legislative session.
For information on computerized access to this publication, see the
“Selected Databases” section beginning on p. 7.

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CRS-3
CQ Monitor
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 887-6258
1414 22nd Street, N.W.
(800) 432-2250, ext. 279
Washington, D.C. 20037
Fax: (202) 785-4415
Internet: [http://www.cq.com]
Frequency: Monday through Friday when Congress is in session, with updates
throughout the day on the World Wide Web
This newsletter provides daily news on Congress, such as planned floor
action for both Chambers, bill and amendment descriptions, and notices of bill
markup sessions and conference negotiations. Also, committee schedules are
provided for the day, with future schedules given up to 3 months in advance.
Significant sections are “The Pulse of Congress,” with behind-the-scenes
information on Members and committees, and “People on the Move,” which
highlights congressional staff changes. CQ NewsAlert, one of the services
offered on Congressional Quarterly’s new, developing World Wide Web site,
updates the Monitor during the day.
Congressional Record
Superintendent of Documents
Telephone: (202) 512-1800
U.S. Government Printing Office
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Washington, D.C. 20402
Internet: [http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs]
Frequency: Published each day that one or both Chambers are in session, except
infrequent instances when two or more consecutive issues are printed
together
The Congressional Record contains the edited transcript of activities on the
floor of the House and the Senate. The “Daily Digest” section has summaries
of: action in each Chamber, committee hearings, new public laws, and committee
meetings scheduled for the next legislative day. Indexes are issued twice a
month. The subject indexes can be used to identify bills by topic, and the
“History of Bills and Resolutions” section tracks action on specific bills.
Formerly, the indexes were cumulated annually into bound volumes, but this
practice has not been followed for a number of years.
For information on computerized access to the Congressional Record and
to its index, see the “Selected Databases” section beginning on p. 7.
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
Superintendent of Documents
Telephone: (202) 512-1800
U.S. Government Printing Office
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Washington, D.C. 20402
Internet: [http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara]
Frequency: Weekly, with quarterly, semiannual, and annual indexes
This weekly periodical is a source for information such as the dates on
which the President signed or vetoed legislation. In addition, it provides
transcripts of presidential messages to Congress, executive orders, and speeches
and other material released by the White House.

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CRS-4
For information on computerized access to this publication, see the
“Selected Databases” section beginning on p. 7.
Telephone Sources
At times, information is needed on legislation so current that the desired data will
not yet be available in any printed or electronic source. Or, there may be occasions
when only one elusive date, bill number, or page number is needed. The telephone
contacts listed below can provide certain useful facts as explained in each entry.
However, when this information is needed regularly, or when in-depth coverage of
an issue is required, it is essential to consult the printed or electronic sources listed in
this guide.
Daily Calendar Information
Both political parties in the Senate and the House provide recorded messages
about the proceedings on the floor of each Chamber every day they are in session.
The following should be called for these cloakroom recordings:
Senate:
(202) 224-8601 (Republican)
(202) 224-8541 (Democratic)
House:
(202) 225-7430 (Republican)
(202) 225-7400 (Democratic)
Public Law Update Service
Information on recently enacted public laws can be obtained from a recorded
message maintained by the office of the Federal Register. It can be reached at (202)
523-6641.
Status of Legislation
The office of legislative information on Capitol Hill will respond to telephone
inquiries from the public, providing up-to-date information on current legislation. By
using a computer database, a knowledgeable staff can give the following information:
status of any piece of legislation, bills introduced by any given Member of Congress,
or bills introduced on any specified subject. A maximum of six items identified by bill
number, or three items which require word searches, can be handled per call. The
number is (202) 225-1772.
Switchboard in the U.S. Capitol
The office of any congressional committee or subcommittee can be reached by
calling (202) 224-3121.
White House Records
The office of the executive clerk at the White House provides a recorded
message with information about the dates of: the signings or vetoes of recent
legislation, presidential messages, executive orders, and other official presidential
actions. If the desired information is not included in the taped message, callers can
stay on the line to be connected with a person. This office can be reached at (202)
456-2226.

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CRS-5
Tracking Current Federal Regulations
Regulations are issued by agencies of the federal government under the authority
delegated to them by federal law or a presidential executive order and have the force
of law. Final regulations are printed in the Federal Register (FR) and later codified
by subject in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). By using these two sources
with their many indexes and tables, it is possible to: identify all existing regulations in
a subject area or pertaining to a specific section of the United States Code, identify
regulations issued pursuant to a specific public law, or find proposed regulations
which are not yet final.
The Federal Regulatory Directory describes the regulatory responsibilities of
more than 100 federal agencies, and sources such as the CIS Federal Register Index
and the CIS Index to the Code of Federal Regulations provide indexing to the FR and
the CFR respectively.
Printed Sources
CIS Federal Register Index
Congressional Information Service, Inc.
Telephone: (301) 654-1550
4520 East-West Highway
(ask for Order Department)
Bethesda, MD 20814-3389
(800) 638-8380
Internet: [http://www.cispubs.com]
Fax: (301) 654-4033
Frequency: Weekly, with cumulations every 5 weeks and semiannually
This annotated index provides numerous points of access to the Federal
Register, such as: subject; personal, organizational, and corporate names;
industries; issuing agency; authorizing legislation; CFR section number;
geographic area; and agency docket number.
CIS Index to the Code of Federal Regulations
Congressional Information Service, Inc.
Telephone: (301) 654-1550
4520 East-West Highway
(ask for Order Department)
Bethesda, MD 20814-3389
(800) 638-8380
Internet: [http://www.cispubs.com]
Fax: (301) 654-4033
Frequency: Annual, with quarterly updates
This index to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is arranged by:
subject; geography—by political entities which administer federally regulated
activities, and by proper name of physical entities administered by the
government (national parks, monuments, etc.); official headings for each portion
of the CFR; and new and revised CFR section numbers.
Code of Federal Regulations
Superintendent of Documents
Telephone: (202) 512-1800
U.S. Government Printing Office
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Washington, D.C. 20402
Internet: [http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara]

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CRS-6
Frequency: Revised annually (approximately one quarter of the titles at a time)
as of the first of January, April, July, and October
The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) codifies final regulations having
general applicability and legal effect which have previously appeared in the
Federal Register. Its 50 titles are arranged by subject. Since the annual revision
incorporates new regulations and drops superseded ones, the CFR reflects
regulations in effect at the time of printing. Several indexes and tables
accompany the set.
For information on computerized access to the CFR, see the “Selected
Databases” section beginning on p. 7.
Federal Register
Superintendent of Documents
Telephone: (202) 512-1800
U.S. Government Printing Office
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Washington, D.C. 20402
Internet: [http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara]
Frequency: Daily, Monday through Friday; not published on Saturdays,
Sundays, or on official holidays
The Federal Register (FR) is the official announcement of regulations and
legal notices issued by federal agencies. These include: presidential
proclamations and executive orders, proposed and final federal agency
regulations having general applicability and legal effect, documents required to
be published by act of Congress, and other federal agency documents of public
interest. It also functions as an update to the CFR. Daily and monthly indexes,
and an accompanying publication, List of CFR Sections Affected, assist in its use.
For information on computerized access to the FR, see the “Selected
Databases” section beginning on p. 7.
Federal Regulatory Directory
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 822-1475
1414 22 Street, N.W.
nd
(800) 638-1710
Washington, D.C. 20037
Fax: (202) 887-6706
Internet: [http://books.cq.com]
(800) 380-3810
Frequency: Every 2 years
Profiles which describe the mandates and operations of more than 100
federal regulatory agencies are provided in this directory. It also contains lists
of telephone, fax, and hotline contacts, agency Internet site descriptions,
information resources, regional offices, and information on federal entities
charged with regulatory oversight responsibilities. Historical and current
overviews explain the evolution of the regulatory process. Other aids are the full
texts of key regulatory acts and executive orders and subject and name indexes.
Telephone Sources
As is the case with legislation, there are times when more current information is
needed on regulatory activity than has yet appeared in printed or electronic materials,
or when assistance in using those sources is required. Again, the telephone can be a
helpful tool.

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CRS-7
Federal Agencies
Federal agencies responsible for regulatory activities in specific areas and the
individuals in charge can be identified in the Federal Regulatory Directory (see p. 6).
Contact information is furnished.
Federal Register
The customer service office at the Federal Register can identify the location and
date of recent items appearing in the Federal Register and can assist in using the
CFR; its number is (202) 523-5227.
Individuals who need copies of pages of the Federal Register can photocopy as
many pages as they need in person at the Office of the Federal Register, National
Archives and Records Administration, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W., Suite 700,
Washington, D.C. 20408 at a cost of $.10 per page. The Federal Register’s Public
Information Office can be contacted at (202) 523-5240 for additional information.
White House Records
The office of the executive clerk at the White House provides a recorded
message with information about the dates executive orders and presidential
proclamations appeared in the Federal Register. If the desired information is not
included in the taped message, callers can stay on the line to be connected with a
person. This office can be reached at (202) 456-2226.
Selected Databases
Several computer databases, including some on the Internet, can provide help in
tracking federal legislation and regulations. Brief descriptions of selected ones are
provided in this section. Also included is contact information for the database
producer or the actual database.
Because of the rapidly changing nature of this field, no attempt has been made
to compile a comprehensive listing. For the same reason, no material has been
provided on subscription fees (which are also charged by some Internet providers),
online rates, or access information (except for some of the Internet sources). To
obtain such information, the desired database producer must be consulted by using the
contact information provided.
CIS
Congressional Information Service, Inc.
Telephone: (301) 654-1550
4520 East-West Highway
(800) 638-8380
Bethesda, MD 20814-3389
Fax: (301) 654-4033
Internet: [http://www.cispubs.com]
Abstracts of congressional publications such as printed hearings, reports,
documents, and committee prints are available in this database. Hearing
witnesses’ testimony can be tracked by the individuals’ names. Both this
database and the company’s Congressional Masterfile 2 CD-ROM are electronic
counterparts of the CIS/Index to Publications of the United States Congress (see
p. 2) and provide coverage from 1970 through the present. The company’s

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CRS-8
subscription Internet site, Congressional Universe (formerly Congressional
Compass), is based on the previously mentioned CIS/Index, but also provides
links to the texts of many congressional and federal documents via the firm’s
partnership with LEXIS-NEXIS.
GPO Access
GPO Access User Support Team
Telephone: (202) 512-1530
Office of Electronic Information Dissemination Services
(888) 293-6498
U.S. Government Printing Office
Fax: (202) 512-1262
Washington, D.C. 20401
E-mail: gpoaccess@gpo.gov
Internet: [http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs]
The Government Printing Office (GPO) provides free Internet access to a
wide variety of important legislative sources, such as congressional bills, the
Congressional Record and the Congressional Record Index (including the
“History of Bills and Resolutions”), the Federal Register, congressional
calendars, public laws, and selected congressional reports and documents. Time
spans covered vary by the category of information sought.
Also, GPO provides a Public Laws Electronic Notification Service via e-
mail. To subscribe, send an e-mail to PENS@GPO.GOV with the following
message: SUBSCRIBE PENS-L FIRSTNAME LASTNAME
LEXIS/NEXIS
LEXIS-NEXIS
Telephone: (800) 227-4908
P.O. Box 933
Fax: (513) 865-6909
Dayton, OH 45401-0933
Internet: [http://www.lexis-nexis.com]
Full-text coverage of several publications useful in tracking legislation and
regulations are provided by this online service. Among these are the
Congressional Record, the Federal Register, the Code of Federal Regulations,
and the full texts of bills from the current and recent Congresses. Other
highlights are: pending bill status, floor and committee votes, committee
schedules, public laws, and the full texts of various presidential documents and
statements.
Only LEXIS/NEXIS subscribers can access the system on the Internet.
THOMAS
THOMAS is a World Wide Web source of congressional information on
the Internet. Initiated by the leadership of the House of Representatives in the
104t Congress, it is available free to Internet users through the Library o
h
f
Congress.
Among its contents are: full texts of bills (101 -105
st
Congresses); bil
th
l
summary and status information (93 -105
rd
th Congresses); full texts of public laws
(101 -105
st
th Congresses); committee reports (105th and 104th Congresses); House
roll-call votes (101 Congress, second session [1990]-105
st
Congress); Senate
th
roll-call votes (101 -105
st
Congresses); full text of the
th
Congressional Record
(101 -105
st
Congresses); the
th
Congressional Record Index (104 -105
th
th
Congresses, and 103rd Congress, second session [1994]); and Resume of
Congressional Activity (91 -105
st
th Congresses). Also, How Our Laws Are Made

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CRS-9
and Enactment of a Law, congressional publications which explain the steps of
the legislative process, are accessible.
The Internet address for THOMAS is [http://thomas.loc.gov]
U.S. House of Representatives Home Page
This free Internet source provides such information as: recent major House
committee and floor actions; legislative schedules; background information on,
and links to material on the steps in, the legislative process, including How Our
Laws Are Made, a congressional publication that explains the steps of the
legislative process; House roll-call votes beginning with the 101st Congress,
second session (1990); and concise descriptions of floor proceedings when the
House is in session.
The Internet address for this service is [http://www.house.gov]
U.S. Senate Home Page
Materials of legislative interest offered on this free Internet source are:
Senate legislative procedures; the Senate calendar; Senate roll-call votes
beginning with the 101 Congress, first session (1989
st
); the chamber’s leadership;
descriptions of the Senate committee system and of individual committees; the
history of the Senate; directories of Senators by name and by state; lists of
Senators with constituent e-mail addresses; and a glossary of terms common to
the Senate. The Internet address for this source is [http://www.senate.gov]
WESTLAW
West Group
Telephone: (612) 687-7000
610 Opperman Drive
(800) 937-8529
Eagan, MN 55123
Fax: (612) 687-7302
Internet: [http://www.westgroup.com]
While WESTLAW was designed primarily as a legal reference database,
many of its files contain material useful to anyone tracking legislation or
regulations. For example, the Congressional Record is available in full text on
this subscription service, as is the Federal Register, the current Code of Federal
Regulations, and committee reports. Also available in full text are selected
executive documents and federal laws.
World Wide Web Aids
The following Internet addresses provide access to guides to sources on
federal legislative and regulatory activities or to Web-based instruction on
conducting research in these areas:
“Legislative Information” and “Legislative Research with THOMAS”
[http://www.clark.net/pub/lschank/web/bills.html]
[http://www.clark.net/pub/lschank/web/mythomas.html]
“Legislative Research”
[http://henry.ugl.lib.umich.edu/libhome/Documents.center/softwarebi]
“Federal Regulations”
[http://www.clark.net/pub/lschank/web/fedregs.html]

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CRS-10
Other Sources
There are numerous sources which, while not directly related to tracking
legislation and regulations, can often be useful for identifying sources of information
on these topics. National organizations which represent specific interest groups are
keenly aware of legislation and regulatory activities pertaining to their areas. They
frequently follow these issues closely, publishing newsletters and often making
reference material available on these topics.
Washington Representatives contains information on some 17,500 firms and
individuals who lobby in Washington and on the organizations they represent. The
Encyclopedia of Associations contains essential information on about 23,000 national
organizations. The Washington Information Directory, with a subject arrangement,
provides information on pertinent government agencies and private groups in
Washington. National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States
offers information on more than 7,600 national trade associations and professional
societies. Washington ’97 is a directory of key Washington officials and institutions,
and the United States Government Manual provides information on the legislative or
executive origin of each federal department and agency.
Reference Sources
Encyclopedia of Associations
Gale Research Inc.
Telephone: (313) 961-2242
835 Penobscot Building
(800) 347-4253
Detroit, MI 48226-4094
Fax: (313) 961-6815
Internet: [http://www.gale.com]
Frequency: Annual
National Organizations of the United States, volume 1 of this reference
source, provides the organizational name, address, telephone number, a top
official’s name, and other available contact information for nearly 23,000 U.S.
associations and professional societies. For each group, an annotation describes
its history, resources, goals, activities, publications, and meetings. The index to
volume 1 provides retrieval by title or keyword. Access by state, city, and
executive name is given in volume 2, Geographic and Executive Indexes.
Information on newly formed or newly reported associations is found in volume
3, Supplement. Via subscription, this work is also available as part of Gale’s
Associations Unlimited (which includes listings for thousands of additional
nonprofit organizations) on the Internet and in CD-ROM format.
National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States
Columbia Books, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 898-0662
1212 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 330
(888) 265-0600
Washington, D.C. 20005
Fax: (202) 898-0775
Internet: [http://www.d-net.com/columbia]
Frequency: Annual

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CRS-11
This soft-bound volume lists “about 7,500 national trade associations, labor
unions, professional, scientific, or technical societies and other national
organizations composed of groups united for a common purpose.” Basic
information includes: association name, address, telephone number, fax number
(if available), Internet address (if available), staff and membership totals,
publications, meetings, historical note, and budget. Subject, geographic,
acronym, executive, association management firm, and budget indexes are
provided. For groups which have provided budget data, the budget index
separates them into 10 categories, ranging from less than $10,000 to more than
$5 million.
United States Government Manual
Superintendent of Documents
Telephone: (202) 512-1800
U.S. Government Printing Office
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Washington, D.C. 20402
Internet: [http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/nara001.html]
Frequency: Annual
Widely known as the federal government’s handbook of departments and
major agencies, boards, committees, and commissions, the United States
Government Manual also provides citations to each body’s legislative or
executive authority. In addition, citations to the authority which caused an
agency’s demise, transfer, or name change appear in “Appendix B: Federal
Executive Agencies Terminated, Transferred, or Changed in Name Subsequent
to March 4, 1933.” Furthermore, an alphabetical list of federal agencies and
departments which can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),
including general information on the CFR titles, subtitles, or chapters in which
they appear, is provided in “Appendix C: Agencies Appearing in the Code of
Federal Regulations.”
Washington ’97
Columbia Books, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 898-0662
1212 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 330
(888) 265-0600
Washington, D.C. 20005
Fax: (202) 898-0775
Internet: [http//www.d-net.com/columbia]
Frequency: Annual
Listings in this directory cover about 22,000 key officials of nearly 4,500
Washington, D.C., area institutions, such as international organizations,
government agencies, embassies, media organizations, cultural institutions,
national associations, public interest groups, businesses, local colleges and
universities, and hospitals. The current edition is Washington ’97.
Washington Information Directory
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 822-1475
1414 22 Street, N.W.
nd
(800) 638-1710
Washington, D.C. 20037
Fax: (202) 887-6706
Internet: [http://books.cq.com]
Frequency: Annual

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Rather than arranging Washington’s information sources by agency or
organization, this directory categorizes them by subject. Each of its 18 subject
areas covers three types of information sources: executive branch agencies,
congressional sources, and private organizations. Each entry contains the name
of the source, its address, telephone number, other available contact information,
the name of a key official, and a capsule description of its work. Also, useful
lists of congressional offices, federal agency contacts by function (such as job
vacancy hotlines), labor unions, diplomatic personnel, state and local officials,
and federal regional offices, as well as subject and name indexes, are provided.
Washington Representatives
Columbia Books, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 898-0662
1212 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 330
(888) 265-0600
Washington, D.C. 20005
Fax: (202) 898-0775
Internet: [http//www.d-net.com/columbia]
Frequency: Annual
Information on about 17,500 individuals and firms working as Washington
lobbyists is presented in this directory. In the first section, lobbyists are listed
alphabetically with contact information. Each entry lists the clients represented,
and indicates whether the lobbying individual or firm had registered to lobby
Congress under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 or had registered with the
Justice Department as a foreign agent at the time of printing. In Section II, the
organizations or clients represented are listed alphabetically. Other sections of
the directory are: listings for legislative liaison offices within the executive
branch; indexes by subject, foreign interests represented, and political action
committee by industry; and the text of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 as
enacted (P.L. 104-65).
Media Sources
A variety of information on what is happening in Washington can be gathered
by exposure to an assortment of editorial perspectives, “inside” reporting, and
political analysis.
Examples of daily newspapers which contain these types of coverage are the
Washington Post, Washington Times, New York Times, Boston Globe, Chicago
Tribune, Miami Herald, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Los Angeles Times, Wall
Street Journal, and Christian Science Monitor. Weekly magazines such as National
Journal, Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News and World Report provide regular coverage
of the Washington scene. Many of these sources also have Internet sites.
C-SPAN, CNN, other cable television offerings, and commercial and public
television and radio programs provide extensive coverage of Washington’s legislative
and regulatory happenings. Virtually every community has access to weekly
broadcast programs which provide in-depth political analysis from reporters,
legislators, and executive branch officials.

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CRS-13
Bibliography
For those who want more background information about the federal
government’s legislative and regulatory activities or about the sources and techniques
used in tracking laws and regulations, this selected bibliography is provided. Library
of Congress call numbers are included where available.
Jacobstein, J. Myron, Roy M. Mersky, and Donald J. Dunn. Fundamentals of Legal
Research. 6 ed. Westbury, NY, Foundation Press, 1994. 777 p.
th
KF240.J32 1994
This updated successor to Pollack’s Fundamentals of Legal Research is
a clear and detailed guide to in-depth legal research, which includes research in
federal legislation and administrative, or regulatory, law.
Morehead, Joe. Introduction to United States Government Information Sources. 5th
ed. Englewood, CO, Libraries Unlimited, 1996. 333 p.
Z1223.M674 1996
This revised version of Morehead’s Introduction to United States Public
Documents provides an introduction to basic printed and electronic information
sources on federal government publications. It includes sections on the GPO,
the depository library system, legislative and executive branch publications, and
federal regulatory publications.
Robinson, Judith Schiek. Tapping the Government Grapevine: The User-Friendly
Guide to U.S. Government Information Sources. 2 ed. Phoenix, AZ, Ory
nd
x
Press, 1993. 240 p.
Z1223.Z7 R633 1993
Informative chapters on legislative and regulatory information sources are
part of this readable guide to sources of federal information. Explanations of
types of sources which focus on representative works are provided, along with
information on “freebies,” footnotes, and bibliographies.
U.S. Congress. House. How Our Laws Are Made. 105 Cong., first session
th
.
Washington, GPO, 1997. S.Doc. 105-14.
Revised periodically, this pamphlet provides “a readable and nontechnical
outline of the background and the numerous steps of our federal lawmaking
process from the origin of an idea for a legislative proposal through its
publication as a statute.” It concentrates on procedures observed by the House
of Representatives.
The 1997 version of this publication can be accessed on the Internet at the
following address: [http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.htm]
Zwirn, Jerrold. Congressional Publications and Proceedings: Research on
Legislation, Budgets, and Treaties. 2 ed. Englewood, CO, Librarie
nd
s
Unlimited, 1988. 299 p.
JK1067.Z85 1988
This research guide to congressional publications covers a wide range of
the information utilized and issued by the U.S. Congress, focusing on printed
materials.

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