Since the release of the 4th edition of Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories: A Bibliography of Government Documents, Periodical Articles, and Books, 1st Congress–114th Congress in 2018, the online database has been updated with over 370 new sources, offering enhanced coverage of recent laws. These updates make the resource even more crucial for legislative research. With ongoing online updates and a forthcoming print edition, it continues to be an essential tool for librarians, attorneys, government professionals, students, and researchers.
What’s New
While you may not have noticed, these updates have significantly line data expanded the coverage of legislative histories. Recently, some of the latest sources include content from the 114th Congress, including summaries of each Act:
H.R. 2137: Public Law 114-180
H.R. 2212: Public Law 114-181
H.R. 2576: Public Law 114-182
S. 2276: Public Law 114-183
H.R. 3209: Public Law 114-184
S. 337: Public Law 114-185
S. 2133: Public Law 114-186
S. 2328: Public Law 114-187
About Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories
Legislative histories are collections of documents produced by Congress during the enactment of a law, serving as the “working papers” behind the statutory language. Legal professionals and researchers rely on these materials to uncover legislative intent and resolve ambiguities.
This resource was originally created by the late law librarian Nancy P. Johnson and is now updated by professional law librarians Austin Williams and Jenna Fegreus. The latest edition organizes its content into two types of legislative histories: commercial sources and topical arrangements, as well as a comprehensive collection of histories for major laws. It also includes an Author-Title Index and a Public Law Index for streamlined navigation.
The fully searchable database makes it easier than ever to access this information, with online content continuously updated to reflect new legislative histories.