Order Code 98-461 C
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Tracking Current Federal Legislation and
Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources
Updated February 15, 2000
Carol D. Davis
Information Research Specialist
Information Research Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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 Daily 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 the Code of Federal
Regulations, and CIS/Index to Publications of the United States Congress provide
codified or indexed access to regulatory and legislative publications. 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 electronic or printed sources. Brief capsule descriptions of
directories and other media sources are provided, as is a bibliography. Annotations
for each source contain publisher contact information and pertinent Internet
addresses.

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Media Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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 which requires an extensive library of expensive resources, in-
depth knowledge of the issues, 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 by using
a variety of resources available locally. The scope of the issue will determine how
complicated and time-consuming the process will be.
This guide has been designed to introduce researchers to selected basic sources
which are useful in obtaining background information or specific facts on the status
of federal legislative or regulatory initiatives. Printed, telephone, electronic, and
media sources are included, as well as pertinent directories, such as those of
organizations that track areas of interest. Annotations which describe 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 are available 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 may expedite certain legislative or regulatory searches,
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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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 Customer Service)
Bethesda, MD 20814-3389
(800) 638-8380
Internet: [http://www.cispubs.com]
Fax: (301) 657-3203
E-mail: cisinfo@lexis-nexis.com
Frequency: Monthly index and abstracts issues, with quarterly indexes and
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 below.
Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 887-8500
1414 22nd Street, N.W.
(800) 432-2250
Washington, D.C. 20037
Fax: (202) 785-8784
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 below.

CRS-3
CQ Daily Monitor
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 887-6258
1414 22nd Street, N.W.
(800) 432-2250
Washington, D.C. 20037
Fax: (202) 728-1862
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; “People on the Move,” which
highlights congressional staff changes; and “Status of Appropriations.”
Subscribers can receive updates to the Monitor throughout the day via “CQ
Monitor News” on Congressional Quarterly’s World Wide Web site, CQ.com
On Congress.
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/legislative.html]
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 below.
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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For information on computerized access to this publication, see the
“Selected Databases” section below.
Telephone Sources
At times, the latest information on legislation is so current that it will not yet
have been captured by electronic or printed sources. 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.
When such information is needed regularly, however, 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 numbers 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 the new public law numbers assigned to recently enacted public
laws can be obtained from a recorded message maintained by the office of the Federal
Register
at (202) 523-6641.
Status of Legislation
The office of legislative information on Capitol Hill responds to telephone
inquiries from the public, providing up-to-date information on current legislation. By
using a computer database, the staff can give the following information: status of any
piece of legislation, bills introduced by any specified Member of Congress, or bills
introduced on any given 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: 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.

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 the CIS Index to the Code of Federal
Regulations
provides indexing to the CFR.
Printed Sources
CIS Index to the Code of Federal Regulations
Congressional Information Service, Inc.
Telephone: (301) 654-1550
4520 East-West Highway
(ask for Customer Service)
Bethesda, MD 20814-3389
(800) 638-8380
Internet: [http://www.cispubs.com]
Fax: (301) 657-3203
E-mail: cisinfo@lexis-nexis.com
Frequency: Annual, with quarterly updates
This index to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is arranged by:
subject; geography—by political entities or federally regulated properties, 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]
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 below.

CRS-6
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: proposed and final
federal agency regulations having general applicability and legal effect,
presidential proclamations and executive orders, documents required to be
published by act of Congress, and other federal agency documents of public
interest. It also serves 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 below.
Federal Regulatory Directory
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 822-1475
1414 22nd Street, N.W.
(800) 638-1710
Washington, D.C. 20037
Fax: (202) 887-6706
Internet: [http://books.cq.com]
(800) 380-3810
Frequency: Every 2 years
Profiles describing the mandates and operations of more than 120 federal
regulatory agencies are provided in this directory. Each profile gives a brief
history and description of the agency and its regulatory oversight responsibilities,
and lists key personnel, information sources, legislation, and regional offices. An
overview of the federal regulatory process is provided. Other aids are the full
texts of key regulatory acts and executive orders, a guide to using the Federal
Register
and the Code of Federal Regulations, 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 electronic or printed materials,
or when assistance in using those sources is required. Again, the telephone can be a
helpful tool.
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
above). Contact information is furnished for each agency.
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 Code
of Federal Regulations
. That office can be reached at (202) 523-5227.

CRS-7
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. Its location
is the National Archives and Records Administration, 800 North Capitol Street, N.W.,
Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20001 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 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, subscriber limits, 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) 657-3203
Internet: [http://www.cispubs.com]
E-mail: cisinfo@lexis-nexis.com
Abstracts of congressional publications such as printed hearings, reports,
documents, and committee prints are available in this company’s CIS/Index to
Publications of the United States Congress
(see p. 2) database, which provides
coverage from 1970 through the present. The database is accessible via LEXIS-
NEXIS, of which CIS is a wholly owned subsidiary.
CIS Congressional Universe, the World Wide Web-based, enhanced
electronic counterpart of the CIS/Index, provides links to the texts of many
congressional and federal documents such as the Congressional Record, the
Federal Register, and the Code of Federal Regulations via the firm’s partnership
with LEXIS-NEXIS. Coverage varies depending on the category of information
sought.
Only CIS subscribers can access CIS Congressional Universe.
CPI Electronic Publishing
Telephone: (602) 994-4560
8399 East Indian School Road
(800) 808-3372

CRS-8
Scottsdale, AZ 85251-2853
Fax: (602) 994-4456
Internet: [http://www.citation.com]
Full-text access to the daily Federal Register and to the current Code of
Federal Regulations is available through this company’s CyberREGS Online
database. Even though CPI is primarily interested in environmental matters, this
particular database is not limited to that area.
Only CyberREGS Online subscribers can access this system on the World
Wide Web.
CQ.com On Congress
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
1414 22nd Street, N.W.
Telephone: (202) 887-6279
Washington, D.C. 20037
(800) 432-2250
Internet: [http://oncongress.cq.com]
E-mail: clientservices@cq.com
Bill texts, summaries, tracking, and analysis are provided in this database.
Among its other features are forecasts of major pending bills; versions of bills;
links to related bills; roll-call votes; legislative histories; floor and committee
schedules; detailed committee coverage; texts of committee reports; transcripts
of witnesses’ testimony; and publications such as the Congressional Quarterly
Weekly Report
, the Congressional Record, and the Federal Register. Among
CQ.com’s access points are bill number, keyword, phrase, Member name, and
date. Time spans covered vary by the category of information sought.
Only CQ.com subscribers can access this system on the Internet.
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 and regulatory sources, such as
congressional bills, the Congressional Record and the Congressional Record
Index
(including the “History of Bills and Resolutions”), congressional calendars,
public laws, selected congressional reports and documents, the Weekly
Compilation of Presidential Documents
, the Federal Register, and the Code of
Federal Regulations
. 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 listserv@www.gsa.gov with the following
message: subscribe PUBLAWS-L your name
LEXIS/NEXIS
LEXIS-NEXIS
Telephone: (937) 865-6800
P.O. Box 933
(800) 227-9597
Dayton, OH 45401-0933
Internet: [http://www.lexis-nexis.com]

CRS-9
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,
CIS/Index to Publications of the United States Congress, and the full texts of
bills from the current and recent Congresses. Other highlights are: pending bill
tracking, bill forecasts, floor and committee votes, committee schedules, public
laws, and the full texts of various presidential documents and statements. Many
of these sources and others are also available via the Web-based LEXIS-NEXIS
Political Universe. This is a joint product of LEXIS-NEXIS and its subsidiary,
Congressional Information Service (CIS).
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
104th Congress, it is available free to Internet users through the Library of
Congress.
Among its contents are:
full texts of bills (101st-106th Congresses);
bill summary and status information (93rd-106th Congresses);
full texts of public laws (101st-106th Congresses);
committee reports (104th-106th Congresses);
House roll-call votes (101st Congress, second session [1990]-106th Congress);
Senate roll-call votes (101st-106th Congresses);
full text of the Congressional Record (101st-106th Congresses);
Congressional Record Index (103rd Congress, second session [1994]-106th
Congress);
Résumés of Congressional Activity (91st Congress-106th Congress, first session);
House “Days in Session” calendars (94th-106th Congresses); and
Senate “Days in Session” calendars (95th Congress, second session [1978]-106th
Congress).
Also accessible are the House’s How Our Laws Are Made and the Senate’s
Enactment of a Law, congressional publications which explain the steps of the
legislative process.
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 from 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;

CRS-10
Senate calendar;
Senate roll-call votes beginning with the 101st Congress, first session (1989);
the Chamber’s leadership;
descriptions of the Senate committee system and of individual committees;
history of the Senate;
directories of Senators by name, by state, and by class [date elected];
lists of Senators with constituent e-mail addresses; and
glossary of terms common to the Senate.
The World Wide Web address for this source is [http://www.senate.gov].
WESTLAW
West Group
Telephone: (800) 328-4880
P.O. Box 64833
(800) 344-5008
St. Paul, MN 55164-0833
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 are the Federal Register and the current Code of
Federal Regulations
. Also available in full text are congressional bills, selected
presidential documents, and federal laws.
Only WESTLAW subscribers can access the system on the Internet.
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”
[http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/lib/bills.html]
“Legislative Research with THOMAS”
[http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/lib/mythomas.html]
“Legislative Research”
[http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/Documents.center/softwarebi]
“Public Policy Matrix”
[http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/Documents.center/polproc.html]
“U.S. Government Documents: The Legislative Process”
[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/libraries/indiv/dsc/legproc.html]
“Federal Regulations”
[http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/lib/fedregs.html]

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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 in their areas. They frequently
follow these issues closely, publishing newsletters and often making reference material
available on these topics.
Washington Representatives contains information on more than 17,000 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 nonprofit 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 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
The Gale Group
Telephone: (248) 699-4253
27500 Drake Road
(800) 877-4253
Farmington Hills, MI 48331
Fax: (800) 414-5043
Internet: [http://www.gale.com]
Frequency: Annual
National Organizations of the United States, volume 1 of this reference
source, presents information on nearly 23,000 U.S. associations and professional
societies in 18 subject areas. The organization’s name, address, telephone
number, a top official’s name, and other available contact information is given
for each group. In addition, an annotation describes the group’s history,
membership, resources, mission, activities, publications, and meetings. The
index to volume one provides retrieval by title or keyword. Access by state,
city, and executive name is given in volume two, Geographic and Executive
Indexes
. Information on newly identified associations is provided 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.columbiabooks.com]
Frequency: Annual

CRS-12
This soft-bound volume lists more than “7,600 trade associations,
professional societies, labor unions, and similar national groups.” Basic
information provided includes: association name, address, telephone number, fax
number and/or Internet address (if available), staff and membership totals,
publications, meetings, historical note, and budget. Subject, geographic,
acronym, executive, and budget indexes are provided, as is a list of association
management companies. For groups which have provided budget data, the
budget index separates them into 14 categories, ranging from less than $10,000
to more than $100 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 official handbook of
departments, 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
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.columbiabooks.com]
Frequency: Annual
Listings in this directory cover about 25,000 key officials of nearly 5,000
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 1999.
Washington Information Directory
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Telephone: (202) 822-1475
1414 22nd Street, N.W.
(800) 638-1710
Washington, D.C. 20037
Fax: (202) 887-6706
Internet: [http://books.cq.com]
Frequency: Annual

CRS-13
Rather than arranging Washington’s information sources by agency or
organization, this directory categorizes them by subject. Each of its 20 broad
subject areas covers three types of information sources: executive branch
agencies, Congress, and nonprofit organizations. Each entry contains the
source’s name, address, telephone number, other available contact information,
the name of a key official, and a capsule description of its work. It also provides
useful lists of congressional offices, diplomatic personnel, state government
officials, and federal regional offices, as well as subject and name indexes.
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.columbiabooks.com]
Frequency: Annual
Information on more than 17,000 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 lobbyist has registered to lobby Congress
under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 or has registered with the Justice
Department as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. In
Section II, the organizations or clients represented are listed alphabetically.
Other sections of the directory are: listings of executive branch legislative liaison
offices; and indexes by personal name, subject/industry, foreign interests by
country, political action committees; and legislative issues lobbied.
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 have Internet sites.
Similarly, Internet-based media sources also provide such political coverage.
Examples of these are:
Roll Call Online
[http://www.rollcall.com],
The Hill
[http://www.hillnews.com],
All Politics
[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS],
C-SPAN Online
[http://www.c-span.org],
The Nation
[http://www.TheNation.com],
National Review Online
[http://www.nationalreview.com],
The American Spectator Online
[http://amspec.org], and
Slate
[http://slate.msn.com].

CRS-14
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.
Bibliography
For those who want additional 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. 7th ed. New York, Foundation Press, 1998. 810 p.
KF240.J32 1998
This 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. 6th
ed. Englewood, CO, Libraries Unlimited, 1999. 491 p.
ZA5055.U6 M67 1999
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. 3rd ed. Phoenix, AZ, Oryx
Press, 1998. 286 p.
ZA5055.U6 R63 1998
Informative chapters on legislative and regulatory information sources are
part of this readable guide to sources of federal information. Explanations of
types of sources with descriptions of representative works are provided, along
with information on “freebies,” footnotes, bibliographies, and practical exercises.
U.S. Congress. House. How Our Laws Are Made. 105th Congress, first session.
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.
While this is the latest printed version of this publication, a 1999 version of
How Our Laws Are Made can be accessed on the Internet at the following
address: [http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html].

CRS-15
Zwirn, Jerrold. Congressional Publications and Proceedings: Research on
Legislation, Budgets, and Treaties. 2nd ed. Englewood, CO, Libraries
Unlimited, 1988. 299 p.
JK1067.Z85 1988
This research guide to congressional publications covers a wide range of
the information used and issued by the U.S. Congress, focusing on printed
materials.