Research Guides: United States Government: Legislative Branch

Role of the Legislative Branch

The U.S. Constitution outlines that their should be two chambers of Congress. The House of Representatives with proportional representation and the Senate with equal representation. Together the two chambers draft legislation to be enacted into law. Learn more about the form and functions of the legislative branch in the video below:

Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Homepage for information on the House of Representatives. Includes:

- Schedules
- Directories
- Historical information
- Statistics
U.S. Senate
Homepage for information on the Senate. Includes:

- Schedules
- Directories
- Historical information
- Statistics
How Our Laws Are Made
Outline of the steps of our federal lawmaking process from the source of an idea for a legislative proposal through its publication as a statute.
Enactment of a Law
Overview of how a bill moves through the House and the Senate.
Legislative Branch Links
Links to Congressional information from official and non-official sources.

Congress.gov - Legislation
Legislative information from the current session.
Congressional Record
Transcripts of all discussion and debate from the floor of Congress.
Current Catalog of Congressional Documents
Includes all congressional documents from 1985 to present.
Committee Hearings - Search
Committee hearings of the 110th to the 112th congress from the Office of the Clerk for the House of Representatives.
U.S. Code (GPO)
Arranges federal law into subjects.
Vital Statistics of Congress - 2013
A reference guide for those interested in Congressional activities. Impartial data on Congress and its members.
GovTrack
Information on the status of federal legislation, voting records, and other congressional data.
U.S. Congress Votes Database
Contains roll call votes from 1991 to the present.

Congressional Serial Set - Pre-1817
House and Senate Documents and Reports including reports of executive departments and independent organizations or reports of special investigations made for Congress.
U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates
Congressional documents and debates from 1774-1875.
Annals of Congress (1789-1824)
Debates and proceedings from the 1st to the 18th session of Congress.
Register of Debates (1824-1837)
Provides summaries of the "leading debates and incidents" of each session.
The Congressional Globe (1833-1873)
Debates and proceedings from the 23rd to 42nd sessions of Congress.

United States Government

Books on Congress

Major Acts of Congress

How Congress Evolves

Senate Procedure and Practice

On Appreciating Congress

The Speaker of the House

Congress and Its Members

Senate, 1789-1989, V. 1

Role of the Legislative Branch

Congress

Legislation