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Congressional Publications: Home

Introduction

This guide is an introduction to the various publications produced by the Congress that are covered in the database called Congressional Publications.  This database includes U.S. Congressional Serial Set, which contains all House and Senate reports and documents published since 1817, Presidential messages to Congress, treaty items, executive branch publications, as well as digitized images of maps and illustrations.

The true value of the Serial Set is found in documents that capture the daily development of America, covering every aspect of life:

  • From farming, to westward expansion, scientific exploration, politics, international relations, business, and manufacturing.
  • Through an examination of the memorials and petitions of Congress, for example, a researcher can delve into how ordinary Americans thought on the big issues of the time:The Bank of the United States, Slavery, Indian Removal, state nullification of federal law, and women’s suffrage

Source: Serial Set presentation Sept. 2015 by Daryl Newhouse

The Legislative Process

Knowing the legislative process will help you understand why and when various Congressional publications are produced.

https://www.congress.gov/content/legprocess/legislative-process-poster.jpg
Image source: Congress.gov