Publications of the U.S. House of Representatives

Publications of the U.S. House of Representatives

Publications of the U.S. House of Representatives

May 21, 2014 (98-406)

The U.S. House of Representatives produces several publications relating to the legislative functions of the House. They include, but are not limited to, publications dealing with rules and procedures, bills, anticipated and past legislative activities, committee matters, and chamber proceedings. This report provides a brief description of these publications.

Chamber Activity Publications

The House Journal is the official record of the House used to chronicle all actions such as motions offered, bills introduced, amendments offered and agreed to, voting actions, quorums, etc. As required by the Constitution, the Journal records the official actions of the House for each legislative day, and is published on a periodic basis. At the beginning of each legislative day, the House votes to approve the journal of the preceding legislative day.

The Congressional Record includes the daily proceedings and debates in the House (and Senate) chambers. The proceedings of the House are reflected in the text that is prepared by the official reporters of the House, who record verbatim each word spoken. Members are also permitted to submit materials and speeches for inclusion in the Record. The Record reports all votes, bills introduced, bills reported from committee, and a wealth of other House, committee, and non-legislative information.

Calendars of the U.S. House of Representatives and History of Legislation is a compilation of all calendars maintained in the House—the Corrections Calendar, House Calendar, Private Calendar, and Union Calendar. The publication is popularly called the "House Calendar," and contains a useful legislative history of each House and Senate bill that has been reported from a committee. It is prepared and updated under the direction of the clerk of the House for each day the House is in session. (See CRS Report 98-437, Calendars of the House of Representatives, by [author name scrubbed].)

Procedural Publications

The House Rules and Manual is published each Congress under the title Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and Rules of the House of Representatives, and provides information regarding the rules and procedures of the House of Representatives. The House Manual is published during the first session of each Congress, and includes a synopsis of rulings and precedents.

House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House summarizes procedures most commonly used in the House and provides an explanation for those procedures used most often. The 2003 edition was prepared by Parliamentarian Charles W. Johnson.

Deschler's Precedents of the U.S. House of Representatives identifies the House precedents and practices of the House from 1936 through 1986. The compilation of volumes 1-9 of this multivolume series was initially undertaken by the late Parliamentarian Lewis Deschler. Precedents and practices since 1986 have been published under the title Deschler-Brown Precedents of the U.S. House of Representatives, which begins with volume 10.

Hinds' and Cannon's Precedents of the U.S. House of Representatives provides an historical overview and in-depth description of House precedents during the period 1789 through 1936. This multivolume series was compiled by two House parliamentarians who later became Congressmen (Clarence A. Cannon, D-MO, and Asher C. Hinds, R-ME).

For additional information on procedural publications, see CRS Report 98-309, House Legislative Procedures: Published Sources of Information, by [author name scrubbed].

Committee Publications

Hearing Transcripts include the proceedings of House committee hearings and are published by the committee that held the hearings.

Committee Prints are produced in various forms for committee business, such as drafts of legislation and analyses in support of legislation.

Committee Reports prepared by committees and published by the House provide a narrative account of a study or approved measure. They include the history and explanation of committee-approved measures, funding ramifications, and changes made in existing law.

Other Publications

House Documents contain original or historical documents statutorily authorized for production in this manner or otherwise of importance for House business, such as messages of the President.

Statement of Disbursements of the House is compiled quarterly by the chief administrative officer, and includes expenditures, receipts and other costs incurred by the House.

Acknowledgments

This report was originally written by Faye M. Bullock, formerly a Technical Information Specialist at CRS. The listed author updated the report and is available to answer questions concerning its contents.