Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources

Tracking Current Federal Legislation and Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources

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 January 13, 2005
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 basic printed, online, and telephone sources, constituents
can track federal legislation and regulations at the local level. Those who prefer
weekly overviews would be interested in such publications as CQ Weekly, the Weekly
Compilation of Presidential Documents, Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News and World
Report. For daily coverage, helpful printed sources are the Congressional Record,
CQ Today (formerly CQ Daily Monitor), the Federal Register, the New York Times,
the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. Databases
such as THOMAS, GPO Access, the websites of the U.S. House of Representatives
and the U.S. Senate, LexisNexis, and WESTLAW would also be useful.
The Code of Federal Regulations, the Index to the Code of Federal Regulations,
and the CIS/Index to Publications of the United States Congress provide access by
subject to regulatory and legislative publications. Telephone sources such as Capitol
Hill’s bill status office, the White House’s office of the executive clerk, and the
office of the Federal Register can give brief information on legislative and regulatory
developments too new to have been captured by standard online or printed sources.
Capsule descriptions of directories and other media sources are provided, as is a
bibliography. Annotations for each source contain publisher contact information.
This report will be updated yearly.

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Tracking Current Federal Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Printed Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Telephone Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Daily Calendar Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Public Laws Update Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Status of Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Switchboard in the U.S. Capitol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
White House Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Tracking Current Federal Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Printed Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Telephone Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Federal Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
White House Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Selected Databases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Other Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Reference Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Media Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Tracking Current Federal Legislation and
Regulations: A Guide to Basic Sources
Introduction
Tracking the status of current federal legislation and regulations is often viewed
as a tough task requiring a vast library of costly resources, in-depth knowledge of the
issues, and strong familiarity with the federal government’s inner workings. This is
not necessarily so. Although access to sophisticated databases and comprehensive
knowledge of the federal government may help, 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
that are useful in obtaining background information or specific facts on the status of
federal legislative or regulatory initiatives. Printed, telephone, online, and media
sources are included, as well as pertinent directories, such as those of organizations
that track areas of interest. Annotations describing each source’s contents and
organization are included so that researchers can select those that most closely fit
their 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. Federal publications can often be found in libraries designated as
federal depository libraries. To get their addresses, contact a local library; telephone
the office of Depository Services of the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) at
(202) 512-1119; or go to the Locate a Federal Depository Library page on the GPO
Access website at [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/libraries.html].
Since several databases may speed certain legislative or regulatory searches,
brief descriptions of pertinent ones are provided in the “Selected Databases” section,
below.
For all other materials, publisher contact information has been provided. Since
pricing structures vary by subscriber type and prices change frequently, publishers
must be contacted to obtain the latest order information. GPO publications can be
ordered, prepaid, by mail, telephone (toll-free 866-512-1800), or fax (202-512-2250)
on any of the following credit cards: Discover, MasterCard, VISA, or American
Express from Superintendent of Documents; P.O. Box 371954; Pittsburgh, PA
15250-7954.

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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.
CQ Weekly is a commercial publication that tracks the status of current
legislation.
Since some current legislation amends previously enacted law, it may be
necessary at times to consult the earlier laws in the United States Statutes at Large
or the United States Code.
Printed Sources
For information about online access to these publications, see the “Selected
Databases” section below.
CIS/Index to Publications of the United States Congress
LexisNexis Academic & Library Solutions
Tel: (301) 654-1550
7500 Old Georgetown Road
(800) 638-8380
Bethesda, MD 20814-6126
Fax: (301) 657-3203
[http://www.lexisnexis.com/academic]
E-mail: academicinfo@lexisnexis.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. Titles, subjects,
publication numbers, bill numbers, and witness names can be searched. Also, the
legislative histories of public laws are provided. Coverage dates are 1970 through
the present.
Congressional Record
Superintendent of Documents
P.O. Box 371954
Tel: (866) 512-1800
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
Fax: (202) 512-2250
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/crecord/index.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 summarizes 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
index section can be used to identify bills by topic, and the “History of Bills and
Resolutions” section tracks action on specific bills. The indexes, which are available

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online at [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cri/index.html], are eventually cumulated into
bound volumes.
CQ Today (formerly CQ Daily Monitor)
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Tel: (202) 419-8279
1255 22nd Street, NW
(800) 432-2250, ext. 279
Washington, DC 20037
[http://www.cq.com]
Frequency: Monday through Friday when Congress is in session, with updates
throughout the day on the Web.
This subscription newsletter provides daily news on Congress, such as planned
floor action for the Senate and the House, bill and amendment descriptions, and
notices of bill markup sessions and conference negotiations. Also, daily and selected
future committee schedules are given. 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 the
“Appropriations” section, which appears during the appropriations cycle.
Subscribers also receive an afternoon e-mail newsletter, CQ Today Extra, with the
day’s latest news about Congress and updated information on the next day’s
congressional schedule.
CQ Weekly
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Tel: (202) 419-8279
1255 22nd Street, NW
(800) 432-2250, ext. 279
Washington, DC 20037
[http://www.cq.com]
Frequency: Weekly, with special supplements and annual Almanac.
This weekly summary of congressional action and developments contains status
tables for appropriations bills and other major legislation, roll-call vote charts for
both chambers, and topical treatments of committee and floor actions. Most issues
have articles that provide current and background information on legislative topics.
Occasionally, special reports are printed. Quarterly indexes are issued, and the
annual Congressional Quarterly Almanac is a comprehensive review of the year’s
legislative session.
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
Superintendent of Documents
Tel: (866) 512-1800
P.O. Box 371954
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html]
Frequency: Weekly, with quarterly, semiannual, and annual indexes.
This weekly periodical provides information such as the dates on which the
President signed or vetoed legislation. Also, it contains transcripts of presidential
messages to Congress, executive orders, and speeches and other material released by
the White House.

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Telephone Sources
At times, the latest information on legislation is so new that it will not yet have
been added to standard online or printed sources. Or there may be times when just
a single 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 check the printed or online 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. Call the following numbers for these
cloakroom recordings:
Senate: (202) 224-8601 (Republican)
House: (202) 225-7430 (Republican)
(202) 224-8541 (Democratic)
(202) 225-7400 (Democratic)
Public Laws Update Service. Information on new public law numbers
assigned to recently enacted public laws can be obtained from a recorded message
maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration’s office of the
Federal Register at (202) 741-6043 or by subscribing to its Public Laws Electronic
Notification Service (PENS) e-mail service. To subscribe, use the online form by
clicking on “Join or leave the list (or change settings)” at the following Web address:
[http://listserv.gsa.gov/archives/publaws-l.html].
Status of Legislation. The Legislative Information (or LEGIS) office on
Capitol Hill provides current information on pending legislation in response to
telephone inquiries from the public. Using a database, the staff can provide the
following information: status of any piece of legislation, bills introduced by any
specified Member of Congress, or bills introduced on any given subject. Up to six
items identified by bill number, or three items requiring word searches, can be
handled per call. The number is (202) 225-1772.
Switchboard in the U.S. Capitol. The office of any Member of Congress,
congressional committee, or congressional subcommittee can be reached by calling
(202) 224-3121.
White House Records. Via a recorded message, the office of the executive
clerk at the White House provides dates for the following information: presidential
signings or vetoes of recent legislation; presidential messages; executive orders; and
other official presidential actions. If the desired information is not in the taped
message, callers can stay on the line to speak with a staffer. The recorded message
is available at (202) 456-2226.
Tracking Current Federal Regulations
Regulations are issued by federal departments and agencies under the authority
delegated to them by federal law or presidential executive order and have the force

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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 that
are not yet final.
The Federal Regulatory Directory describes the regulatory responsibilities of
more than 100 federal agencies, and the Index to the Code of Federal Regulations
provides indexing to the CFR.
Printed Sources
For information about online access to these publications, see the “Selected
Databases” section on p. 7.
Code of Federal Regulations
Superintendent of Documents
Tel: (866) 512-1800
P.O. Box 371954
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html]
Frequency: Revised annually (about one quarter of the titles at a time) in
January, April, July, and October.
The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) codifies final regulations having
general applicability and legal effect that first 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.
Federal Register
Superintendent of Documents
Tel: (866) 512-1800
P.O. Box 371954
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html]
Frequency: Daily, Monday through Friday; not published on Saturdays,
Sundays, or federal holidays.
The Federal Register (FR) is the official announcement of regulations and legal
notices issued by federal departments and agencies. These include proposed and
final federal regulations having general applicability and legal effect; executive
orders and presidential proclamations; documents required to be published by act of
Congress; and other federal documents of public interest. It also updates the CFR.
Daily and monthly indexes, and an accompanying publication, List of CFR Sections
Affected, aid in its use.
The Register also publishes the “Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and
Deregulatory Actions” twice a year (usually in April and October). This document
provides advance notice of proposed rulemaking by listing all rules and proposed

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rules that more than 60 federal departments, agencies, and commissions expect to
issue during the next six months. Regulations that concern the military or foreign
affairs, or that deal only with agency personnel, organization, or management
matters, are excluded. The agenda is available online from 1994 through the present
at [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ua/index.html], and can be searched by subject,
agency, and Code of Federal Regulations part number.
Federal Regulatory Directory
CQ Press
Tel: (866) 427-7737
1255 22nd Street, NW, Suite 400
(202) 729-1800
Washington, DC 20037
Fax: (800) 380-3810
[http://www.cqpress.com]
E-mail: customerservice@cqpress.com
Frequency: Every two years
Profiles of the mandates and operations of more than 100 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
staff, 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.
Index to the Code of Federal Regulations
LexisNexis Academic & Library Solutions
Tel: (301) 654-1550
7500 Old Georgetown Road
(800) 638-8380
Bethesda, MD 20814-6126
Fax: (301) 657-3203
[http://www.lexisnexis.com/academic]
E-mail: academicinfo@lexisnexis.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.
Telephone Sources
As with legislation, there are times when newer information on regulatory
activity is needed than has yet appeared in standard online or printed materials, or
when aid 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 by using the Federal
Regulatory Directory (see above). This publication provides contact information for
each agency.

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The customer services office at the Federal Register can identify the location
and date of recent items appearing in the Federal Register and can aid in using the
Code of Federal Regulations. That office can be reached at (202) 741-6000.
People 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 address
is the National Archives and Records Administration, 800 North Capitol Street, NW,
Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001. For information on per-page copying costs and
hours of operation, contact the Federal Register at the telephone number given in the
preceding paragraph.
White House Records. The office of the executive clerk at the White House
provides a recorded message with information on the dates that 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 staffer. This office can be reached at (202) 456-2226.
Selected Databases
Many computer databases can aid in tracking federal legislation and regulations.
Brief descriptions of selected ones are provided in this section. Some of the
databases may only be available though libraries or other institutional subscribers.
Contact information is given 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 information has been
provided on subscription fees, online rates, subscriber limits, or access information
(except for some Web sources). To obtain such information, contact the appropriate
database producer.
Citation Publishing, Inc.
92 Argonaut Street, Suite 255
Tel: (949) 770-2000
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
(800) 808-3372
[http://www.citation.com]
E-mail: sales@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.
Although the company focuses on environmental issues, this database is not limited
solely to that area. Only CyberREGS Online subscribers can access this system on
the Web.

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CQ.com On Congress
Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Tel: (202) 419-8511
1255 22nd Street, NW
(800) 678-8511
Washington, DC 20037
[http://www.cq.com]
E-mail: hotline@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 CQ Weekly, CQ Today (formerly CQ Daily
Monitor), 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
Superintendent of Documents
Tel: (202) 512-1800
U.S. Government Printing Office
(866) 512-1800
732 North Capitol Street, NW
Fax: (202) 512-2104
Mail Stop: IDCC
Washington, DC 20401
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html]
E-mail: ContactCenter@gpo.gov
The Government Printing Office (GPO) provides free Internet access to a wide
variety of legislative, regulatory, and executive material, such as congressional bills,
the Congressional Record and the Congressional Record Index (including the
“History of Bills and Resolutions” section), 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.
LexisNexis Congressional
LexisNexis Academic & Library Solutions
Tel: (301) 654-1550
7500 Old Georgetown Road
(800) 638-8380
Bethesda, MD 20814-6126
Fax: (301) 657-3203
[http://www.lexisnexis.com/academic]
E-mail: academicinfo@lexisnexis.com
Detailed abstracts of congressional publications such as hearings, reports,
documents, and committee prints are available in this database, which is the
enhanced, Web-based counterpart of the CIS/Index to Publications of the United
States Congress (see the “Printed Sources” section on p. 5). Also provided are links

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to the full texts of many congressional and federal documents, such as the
Congressional Record, congressional legislation, congressional hearing transcripts,
the Federal Register, and the Code of Federal Regulations. Length of coverage
varies depending on the category of information sought. These and other sources are
accessible to LexisNexis Congressional Universe subscribers, and some of the
sources are included in standard LexisNexis subscriptions.
Office of Management and Budget’s “Regulatory Matters” Web Page
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/regpol.html]
Reviewing proposed and final federal regulations is the job of the Office of
Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
(OIRA), which focuses on cost-benefit analysis. Information on regulations that
OIRA is reviewing or has reviewed during the past 30 days can be found on the
“Regulatory Matters” page of the OMB website at the Web address given above.
Also available is data on rules reviewed by the agency since 1981.
Regulations.gov
[http://www.regulations.gov]
This website was launched by the federal government in 2003 to enhance public
participation in federal regulatory activities. Here, people can search and view
proposed regulations from about 160 federal departments and agencies. Also, every
entry links to a comment form that readers can complete and submit to the
appropriate department or agency. Regulations.gov is updated each business day
with proposed new regulations. Among the database’s search options are:
! keyword or subject;
! department or agency name;
! regulations published today;
! comments due today;
! open regulations or comments by publication dates; and
! Code of Federal Regulations citation.
THOMAS
THOMAS is a Web-based source of congressional and legislative information
on the Internet. Initiated by the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives in
the 104th Congress, it is available free to Internet users through the Library of
Congress website at [http://thomas.loc.gov].
Among the contents of THOMAS are the following categories, with the starting
coverage date for each given within the parentheses:
! full texts of bills (101st Congress/1989);
! bill summary and status information (93rd Congress/1973);
! full texts of public laws (101st Congress/1989);
! committee reports (104th Congress/1995);
! House roll-call votes (101st Congress, second session/1990);
! Senate roll-call votes (101st Congress/1989);

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! full text of the Congressional Record (101st Congress/1989);
! Congressional Record Index (101st Congress/1989);
! Résumés of Congressional Activity (80th Congress/1947);
! House “Days in Session” calendars (94th Congress/1975); and
! Senate “Days in Session” calendars (95th Congress, second session/
1978).
Also provided are links to two congressional publications that explain the steps
of the legislative process — the House’s How Our Laws Are Made and the Senate’s
Enactment of a Law.
U.S. House of Representatives Home Page
This Web source at [http://www.house.gov] provides such legislative details as:

! recent major House floor and committee actions;
! legislative schedules;
! background information on, and links to material on the steps in, the
legislative process;
! directories of Representatives by state and by name;
! the chamber’s leadership;
! House roll-call votes starting with the 101st Congress, second session
(1990); and
! brief descriptions of floor proceedings when the House is in session.
U.S. Senate Home Page
Materials of legislative interest offered on this Internet source at
[http://www.senate.gov] are the following:
! Senate calendars;
! background information on, and links to material on the steps in, the
legislative process;
! Senate roll-call votes starting with the 101st Congress (1989);
! the chamber’s leadership;
! descriptions of the Senate committee system and of individual
committees;
! historical information about the Senate;
! directories of Senators by name, state, class (term expiration date),
and party; and
! glossary of common legislative terms.
WESTLAW
West Group
Tel: (651) 687-7000
610 Opperman Drive
Eagan, MN 55123
[http://www.westlaw.com]
Although WESTLAW was designed primarily as a legal reference database,
many of its files contain material useful to anyone tracking legislation or regulations.

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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.
Web Aids
The following Internet sites 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
[http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/lib/mythomas.html]
with THOMAS
Legislative Research
[http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/softwarebi]
Public Policy Matrix
[http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/polproc.html]
U.S. Government
[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/dsc/legproc.html]
Documents: The
Legislative Process
Federal Regulations
[http://www.mnsfld.edu/depts/lib/fedregs.html]
Federal Regulations
[http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/library/Finding_the_Law/
Guides_by_Topic/fedregs.htm]
RegInfo.gov
[http://reginfo.gov/]
Other Sources
Numerous sources not directly related to tracking legislation and regulations can
often be used to identify information on these topics. National organizations that
represent specific interest groups are keenly aware of legislation and regulatory
activities in their areas. They frequently follow these issues closely, and often
publish newsletters and make reference materials available on these topics.
Washington Representatives has 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 more than 22,000
national organizations. The Washington Information Directory provides information
by subject on pertinent government agencies and nonprofit groups in Washington.
National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States offers information
on more than 7,400 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.

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Reference Sources
Encyclopedia of Associations
Gale Group
Tel: (248) 699-4253
27500 Drake Road
(800) 347-4253
Farmington Hills, MI 48331-3535
Fax: (248) 699-8052
[http://www.gale.com]
E-mail: BusinessProducts@gale.com
Frequency: Annual
National Organizations of the U.S. presents information on more than 22,000
U.S. associations and professional societies in 18 topical areas. Contact information
and an annotation are given for each group. There is an index by title and keyword.
A separate index provides geographic and executive name access. New associations
are identified in a supplement. This work is also available by subscription as part of
Gale’s Associations Unlimited database, which has listings for more than 450,000
organizations on the Web.
National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States
Columbia Books, Inc.
1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 625
Tel: (202) 464-1662
Washington, DC 20009
Fax: (202) 464-1775
[http://www.columbiabooks.com]
E-mail: info@columbiabooks.com
Frequency: Annual
This volume lists more than 7,500 “trade associations, professional societies,
labor unions, and similar national groups.” Basic information provided includes
association name, address, telephone number, available fax number or Web address,
staff and membership totals, publications, meetings, historical note, and budget.
Subject, geographic, acronym, executive, and budget indexes are provided, along
with a list of association management companies. The budget index separates groups
that have provided annual budget data into 14 categories, ranging from less than
$10,000 to more than $100 million.
United States Government Manual
Superintendent of Documents
Tel: (866) 512-1800
P.O. Box 371954
Fax: (202) 512-2250
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/gmanual/index.html]
Frequency: Annual
Widely known as the federal government’s official handbook of departments,
agencies, boards, committees, and commissions, the United States Government
Manual provides citations to each body’s legislative or executive authority.
“Appendix B: Federal Executive Agencies Terminated, Transferred, or Changed in
Name Subsequent to March 4, 1933” provides citations to the authority that caused
an agency’s demise, transfer, or name change. An alphabetical list of federal

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agencies and departments that appear in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),
including general information on the CFR titles, subtitles, or chapters in which they
are located, is provided in “Appendix C: Agencies Appearing in the Code of Federal
Regulations.”
Washington
Columbia Books, Inc.
1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 625
Tel: (202) 464-1662
Washington, DC 20009
Fax: (202) 464-1775
[http://www.columbiabooks.com]
E-mail: info@columbiabooks.com
Frequency: Annual
Listings in this directory cover some 25,000 key officials in about 5,000
Washington, DC, area institutions, such as government agencies, international
organizations, embassies, media organizations, cultural institutions, national
associations, public interest groups, businesses, local colleges and universities, and
hospitals.
Washington Information Directory
CQ Press
Tel: (866) 427-7737
1255 22nd Street, NW, Suite 400
(202) 729-1800
Washington, DC 20037
Fax: (800) 380-3810
[http://www.cqpress.com]
E-mail: customerservice@cqpress.com
Frequency: Annual
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. This publication also provides useful lists of
congressional offices, diplomatic personnel, and state government officials, as well
as subject and name indexes.
Washington Representatives
Columbia Books, Inc.
1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 625
Tel: (202) 464-1662
Washington, DC 20009
Fax: (202) 464-1775
[http://www.columbiabooks.com]
E-mail: info@columbiabooks.com
Frequency: Annual
Information on nearly 18,000 individuals and about 1,500 firms working as
Washington lobbyists is presented in this directory. In “The Firms” section, lobbying
organizations and lobbyists are listed alphabetically with contact information. Each
entry lists the clients represented and indicates whether the lobbyist has registered

CRS-14
to lobby Congress under the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) of 1995 or has
registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents
Registration Act (FARA). In “The Clients” section, the organizations or clients
represented are listed alphabetically. Other sections of the directory are indexes by
personal name, subject/industry, foreign interests by country, political action
committees; and legislative issues lobbied. This work is also available on the Web
by subscription at [http://www.lobbyists.info/].
Media Sources
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 major daily newspapers offering 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 publications have websites.
Similarly, Web-based media sources also provide such political coverage.
Examples of these are
The American Spectator [http://www.spectator.org/]
C-SPAN.org
[http://www.c-span.org]
The Hill [http://www.hillnews.com]
CNN.com: Inside Politics
[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS]
The Nation [http://www.TheNation.com]
National Review Online [http://www.nationalreview.com]
Roll Call [http://www.rollcall.com]
Slate [http://slate.msn.com]
Among the broadcast media sources that provide extensive coverage of
Washington’s legislative and regulatory happenings are cable television networks
such as C-SPAN and CNN, as well as other cable, network, and public television
programs and some public radio programs. Virtually every community has access
to daily and weekly programs that provide in-depth political analysis from reporters,
legislators, and executive branch officials.

CRS-15
Bibliography
For those who want more background on 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.
Mersky, Roy M., and Donald J. Dunn. Fundamentals of Legal Research. 8th ed.
New York: Foundation Press, 2002.
This successor to Pollack’s Fundamentals of Legal Research is a clear, 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.
This revised version of Morehead’s Introduction to United States Public
Documents provides an introduction to basic printed and online information sources
on federal government publications. It includes sections on the Government Printing
Office, the federal 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.
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. 108th Congress, first session.
H.Doc. 108-93. Washington: GPO, 2003.
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 focuses on procedures observed by the House of Representatives. See
[http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html].
Zwirn, Jerrold. Congressional Publications and Proceedings: Research on
Legislation, Budgets, and Treaties. 2nd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited,
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.