Government Information: A Research Guide

Government Information: A Research Guide

Government documents are publications issued by all levels of government, either to meet legal requirements or to provide useful information for the public. Below you will find a list of the most frequently requested federal government publications organized by topic and branch of government. In addition to the government publications below, when government reports or laws are issued, articles about them appear as secondary sources. These articles may provide summaries and explanations of the primary document and can be located by searching the library’s periodical databases. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library’s catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.

Statistical Information

County and City Data Book. United States. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 1949– . ISSN: 00829455.

www.census.gov/statab/www/ccdb.html

Including statistics for all U.S. counties, cities of 25,000 or more population, and places with more than 2,500 inhabitants. Useful for both business and school projects. Population, housing, business, and labor force data are featured.

Statistical Abstract of the United States. United States. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1878– . ISSN: 00814741.

www.census.gov/statab/www/

Statistics describing social, economic, political, and geographic changes in the United States.

Uniform Crime Reports: Crime in the US

www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm

Provides detailed statistical information about crimes as reported to the FBI.

United States Census

www.census.gov

The ten-year census required by law provides massive amounts of population, housing, economic, and geographic data. The economic census, as well as other kinds of statistical data, also is found here.

World Fact Book

www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

The Factbook is a comprehensive resource of facts and statistics on more than 250 countries.

Executive Branch Documents

Budget of the U.S. Government

www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/

Provides information on how the federal government spends money, from A Citizens Guide to the Federal Budget, written for the average reader, to extensive economic and historical analyses of the United States budget.

Code of Federal Regulations

www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html

The CFR contains administrative regulations, issued by federal agencies or presidential executive order, which are arranged by subject and published annually. Weekly updates are found in the Federal Register.

Federal Register

www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html

Daily publication that presents final regulations as they are enacted, proposed rules, notices, and presidential documents. The same information is organized by subject and published annually in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Public Papers of the President

www.gpoaccess.gov/pubpapers/index.html

Papers and speeches of the President of the United States that were issued by the Office of the Press Secretary during the specified time period.

United States Government Manual

www.gpoaccess.gov/gmanual/index.html

Manual provides information on the agencies of the three branches of government.

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html

The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration and contains statements, messages, and other presidential materials released by the White House during the preceding week.

Legislative Branch Documents

Congressional Directory

www.gpoaccess.gov/cdirectory/index.html

Staff directory for the legislative, executive, and judicial agencies of the federal government. It features brief biographies, committee memberships, and addresses and phone numbers for staff members and judicial branches.

Legislative Branch Resources on GPO Access

www.gpoaccess.gov/legislative.html

History of bills, Congressional bills, Congressional record, full-text versions of all signed bills, and more.

Public and Private Laws

www.gpoaccess.gov/plaws/index.html

Public and private laws are prepared and published by the Office of the Federal Register (OFR), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). GPO Access contains the text of public and private laws enacted from the 104th Congress to the present.

United States Code

www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/index.html

The United States Code is the permanent, or public, laws of the United States organized into broad subject areas called titles.

United States Constitution

www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/index.html

The basic document establishing the government of the United States, the Constitution of the United States also defines the rights and liberties of citizens.

Judicial Branch Documents

Supreme Court Opinions

www.supremecourtus.gov

The Supreme Court of the United States is the final arbiter in controversies or interpretation of the laws of the United States or the intent of the Constitution. Its decisions are called “Opinions.”

Subject Headings

? executive departments—United States—handbooks, manuals, etc.

? United States—Congress—joint committee on printing

? United States—Congress directories

? United States—Office of the Federal Register

? United States—politics and government—handbooks, manuals, etc.