how to cite a congressional research service report

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Q. How do I cite a Congressional Research Services report in APA?

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Answered By: Katie Hutchison Last Updated: Mar 27, 2020 Views: 36330

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of report in sentence case and italics (CRS Report No. xxxxxxx). Retrieved from Congressional Research Service website: URL

Example:

Erwin, M. C. (2011). Intelligence issues for Congress (CRS Report No. RL33539). Retrieved from Congressional Research Service website: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/RL33539.pdf

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APA 7th doesn't use "retrieved from" and "website" anymore. by Peter Coogan on Sep 24, 2020

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Citing government documents, example legal references and citations in apa.

Bill Digest or Bill Summary
Federal Legislation and Laws
Hearings and Testimonies
House and Senate Reports
Congressional Debates
Codes/Regulations
CQ Databases
Unnumbered Federal/Committee Documents
State Legislation and Laws
Executive Documents
Congressional Research Service Reports
European Union Directives and Proposals
Govtrack.us
Court Rules
UN Convention/Treaty
Symbols and Abbreviations

Bill summary from a database

Congressional Research Service. (1993, September 10). Violence Against Women Act of 1993: S. 11, 103rd Cong. Proquest Congressional.

(Congressional Research Service [CRS], 1993), successive citations as (CRS, 1993)

Congressional Research Service (1993)

Bill summary from Congress.gov

Congressional Research Service. (1993, September 10). Summary: S.11 - Violence Against Women Act of 1993. https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/11

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, P.L. 103-322, 108 Stat. 1796. (1994).

Violence Against Women Act of 1994, P.L. 103-322, 108 Stat. 1902.

Violence Against Women Act, 42 U.S.C. § 13701 (1994).

(Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act [VCCLEA], 1994), successive citations as (VCCLEA, 1994)

Unenacted Bill

Violence Against Women Act, H.R. 1502, 102nd Cong. (1991).

H.R. 1502, 102nd Cong. (1991).

(Violence Against Women Act [VAWA], 1991), successive citations as (VAWA, 1991)

(H.R 1502, 1991)

Enacted Bill

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, H.R. 3355, 103rd Cong. (1994) (enacted).

(Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, 1994)

Entire Hearing

Violence against women: Victims of the system: Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, Senate , 102nd Cong. 1 (1991).

( Violence Against Women , 1991)

Testimony during the Hearing:

Violence against women: Victims of the system: Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, Senate , 102nd Cong. 131 (1991) (testimony of Amy Kaylor).

( Violence Against Women , 1991, p. 131)

State Hearing

An Act Relative to Work and Family Mobility H.3012 & S.2061: A Public Hearing before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Transportation , 191st Gen. Crt. (Mass. 2019, September 4). https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3261

( An Act Relative to Work , 2019)

Senate Report

S. Rep. No. 103-138 (1993).

Senate Report No. 103-138 (1993)

(S. Rep. No. 103-138, 1993)

House Report

H. Rep. No. 103-395 (1993).

House Report No. 103-395 (1993)

(H. Rep. No. 103-395, 1993)

Congressional Record Daily

140 Cong. Rec. E1,449 (daily ed. July 13, 1994) (statement of Rep. Schroeder).

(140 Cong. Rec. E1,449, 1994)

In her statements to Congress, Rep. Schroeder stated that, "VAWA would send an unequivocal message that police, prosecutors, and judges, the public can no longer cast aside domestic violence and stalking as personal problems" (140 Cong. Rec. E1449, 1994).

Permanent Bound Edition of Congressional Record

140 Cong. Rec. 16,496 (1994) (statement of Rep. Schroeder).

(140 Cong. Rec. 16,496, 1994)

State Journals or Records

H. 166-1, 2nd Sess., at 89 (Nh. 2020). http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/caljourns/journals/2020/HJ_1.pdf

(H. 166-1, 2020)

Code of Federal Regulations

8 C.F.R. § 101.1 (2018). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2018-title8-vol1/CFR-2018-title8-vol1-sec101-1

Presumption of Lawful Admission, 8 C.F.R. § 101.1 (2018). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2018-title8-vol1/CFR-2018-title8-vol1-sec101-1

8 C.F.R. § 101.1 (2018).

Presumption of Lawful Admission, 8 C.F.R. § 101.1 (2018).

Federal Register

Presumption of Lawful Admission, 68 Fed. Reg. 9832 (Feb. 28, 2003) (to be codified at 8 C.F.R. pt. 101). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/02/28/03-4935/aliens-and-nationality-homeland-security-reorganization-of-regulations

Presumption of Lawful Admission, 68 Fed. Reg. 9832 (2003)

State Codes

603 C.M.R. § 28.00 (2018). http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr28.html

Special Education, 603 C.M.R. § 28.00 (2018). http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr28.html

Massachusetts

603 C.M.R. § 28.00 (2018)

Special Education, 603 C.M.R. § 28.00 (2018)

Greenbook (Print/PDF)

Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives. (2004). 2004 green book: Background material and data on the programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means (18th ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office.

Committee on Ways and Means (2004) reported that enrollment in the AFDC soared in 1994, covering more than a fifth of children in the country (p. 7-2).

(Committee on Ways and Means, 2004, p. 7-2)

Greenbook (Web Version)

Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives. (2014). 2014 green book: Background material and data on the programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means (22nd ed.). http://greenbook.waysandmeans.house.gov/2014-green-book

According to the Committee on Ways and Means (2014) 50% of the Employee Benefits program is covered federally and the other half is covered by the state (chapter 4, Introduction section, para. 3).

(Committee on Ways and Means, 2014, chapter 4, Introduction section, para. 3)

Landmark education bill signed. (2002). CQ almanac 2001 (57th ed.). Congressional Quarterly.

"Landmark Education Bill" (2002)

("Landmark Education Bill," 2002, Highlights section)

Unnumbered Federal/ Committee Documents

Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 104th Cong., Rep. on Violence Against Women Act in action (Comm. Print 1995).

(Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 1995)

Senate Committee on the Judiciary (1995)

Unenacted State Bill

H. 199, 189 th Gen. Ct., Sess. (Mass. 2015). https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H199

(H. 199, 2015) or H. 199 (2015)

Enacted State Bill

H. 199, 189 th Gen. Ct., Sess. (Mass. 2015) (enacted). https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H199

State General Law

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 106, § 1-101 (2017). https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXV/Chapter106/Article1/Section1-101

Subscription Database

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 106, § 1-101 (LexisNexis 2013)

(Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 106, § 1-101, 2013)

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 106, § 1-101 (2013)

Association of Social Work Boards. (2012). Return of organization exempt from income tax [Form 990] . http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/222/222414510/222414510_201212_990.pdf

(Association of Social Work Boards, 2012)

Executive Order from Whitehouse.gov

Trump, D. (2017, February 9). Presidential executive order on enforcing federal law with respect to transnational criminal organizations and preventing international trafficking. White House Press Office. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/02/09/presidential-executive-order-enforcing-federal-law-respect-transnational

Trump (2017)

(Trump, 2017, section 2(a))

Executive Orders in the Federal Register

Exec. Order. No. 13,515, 74 F.R. 53635 (2009). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/10/19/E9-25268/increasing- participation-of-asian-americans-and-pacific-islanders-in-federal-programs

Exec. Order No. 13,515 (2009)

(Exec. Order No. 13,515, 2009, p. 53,637)

Memorandum From Other Departments or Agencies

Napolitano, J. (2012, June 15). Exercising prosecutorial discretion with respect to individuals who came to the United States as children [Memorandum]. United States Department of Homeland Security Digital Library. https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=712428

Napolitano (2012)

(Napolitano, 2012, para. 5)

Letter From One Department to Another

Letter from Jessica Shahin, Assoc. Admin., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to Elizabeth Berlin, Exec. Deputy Comm., New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (Aug. 18, 2011). https://www.foodpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/SNAP-Waiver-Request-Decision.pdf

"Letter from Jessica Shahin" (2011)

("Letter from Jessica Shahin," 2011, para. 5)

Presidential Papers from the Public Papers of the Presidents

Remarks on a Parental Leave Initiative and an Exchange With Reporters, 2 Pub. Papers 2163 (Nov. 30, 1999). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PPP-1999-book2/pdf/PPP-1999-book2-doc-pg2163.pdf

"Remarks on a Parental Leave" (1999)

("Remarks on a Parental Leave," 1999, p. 2165)

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

Presidential Statement on Signing S. 643 Into Law, 16 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 503 (Mar. 18, 1980). Hein Online.

"Presidential Statement" (1980)

("Presidential Statement",1980)

Congressional Research Services Reports

Sacco, L. (2014, March 6). Violence Against Women Act: Overview, legislation, and federal funding (CRS Report No. R42499). Hein Online.

Without author:

Congressional Research Services. (2015, May 26). Violence Against Women Act: Overview, legislation, and federal funding (CRS Report No. R42499). https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R42499

With author:

(Sacco, 2014)

Sacco (2014) stated that ... (p. 18)

(Congressional Research Services, 2014)

Congressional Research Services (2014) stated that... (p. 18)

Directive 2013/32 of the European Parliament and the Council of 26 June 2013 on Common Procedures for Granting and Withdrawing International Protection (recast), 2013 O.J. (L 108) 60. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2013:180:TOC

(Directive 2013/32, 2013)

Proposal of the European Parliament and of the Council Establishing a Common Procedure for International Protection in the Unionand Repealing Directive 2013/32/EU , COM (2016) 467 final (July 13, 2016). http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52016PC0467

(Proposal of the European Parliament, 2016)

Govtrack.us Comparing Bill Versions

Reference both bills that are being compared and indicate their stage in parenthesis with the date.

Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, H.R. 315, 115th Cong. (as passed by House, January 9, 2017). Civic Impulse. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr315/text/eh#compare=350473:is

Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, S. 783, 115th Cong. (as introduced by Senate, March 30, 2017). Civic Impulse. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr315/text/eh#compare=350473:is

(Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, H.R. 315, 2017)

(Improving Access to Maternity Care Act, S. 783, 2017)

Govtrack.us as a Website Tool

Govtrack.us [Web tool]. (n.d.). https://www.govtrack.us/

Govtrack.us (n.d.)

State Court Rule

Mass. Sup. Ct. R. 3:30. (2012). https://www.mass.gov/supreme-judicial-court-rules/supreme-judicial-court-rule-303-legal-assistance-to-the-commonwealth

Mass. Sup. Ct. R. 3:30. (2012)

United Nations Convention or Treaty

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol, December, 13, 2006, http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol (2006)

Common Symbols and Abbreviations

§ = section, refers to a particular part of a document, usually in legal materials

To create the § use the Character Map on a PC or go to Edit then Emoji and Symbols and search for "section" on Mac.

ch. = Chapter

Cong. = Congress, usually refers to a specific session of congress, i.e. 101st Cong.

CRS = Congressional Research Service, an arm of the Library Congress that conducts research on policy for the US Congress

Gen. Ct. = General Court, usually refers to a state level congressional session

H.R. or H. = House of Representatives

P.L. = Public Law

Rep. or Rep. No. = Report or report number

S. or Sen. = Senate

Sess. = Session

Stat. = Statute, usually refers to session laws, a chronological compilation of laws organized by volume and page number

U.S.C. = United States Code

Citation Resources

The APA Publication Manual gives guidelines for referencing some legal resources on page 216, Appendix 7.1. For anything not represented in the Manual, APA recommends using The Bluebook.

We include as many citation examples as possible in this guide. If you don't find what you are looking for in this guide, ask a librarian for assistance.

Quick Links to Example Legal Citations in APA:

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do i cite a congressional research service report.

A Congressional Research Service report with an individual author:

Woolf, Amy F. (2021, December 14). U.S. strategic nuclear forces: Background, development, and issues. (CRS Report No. RL33640). https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33640 .

A Congressional Research Services report without an individual author:

Congressional Research Services. (Date). Title. (CRS Report No. RLxxxxx). https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdfRLxxxxx.

Government Documents
Congressional Research Service report citation
Last Updated Dec 13, 2022
Answered By Marsha Stacey

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Congressional Help: Citing

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How to Cite

Citing:

Bill Tracking Reports
Campaign Financial Information
Candidate Financial Reports
Code of Federal Regulations
Committee Information
Committee Prints
Committee Reports
Congressional Documents
Congressional Record
CRS Reports
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General Principles of Citation

An ever-growing amount of federal government information is available in electronic format. This presents unique challenges to a scholar citing such works. The following principles should be followed to ensure that another researcher can locate exactly the same electronic text and distinguish the electronic text from the print equivalent.

Use document header information to provide information about the electronic document. Header information is found at the top of each electronic record.
Try to provide a unique identifier (either a record or entry number, a code, or a standard abbreviation) to help the reader identify the exact text being cited. Frequently, this information is in the header.
Provide a document date or "Load date" for each record to provide information about the specific version being cited. This record may be updated later, and the date provided within the citation will alert a reader to a possible change in the text.
Supply information (such as U.S. Congress or U.S. House) to clarify the source of the material; many databases do not provide this information in the header for each document. It can be found in the database description within the citation help provided in ProQuest ® Congressional.
Indicate the database name and the vendor making the database available. Some databases are available from many different sources, and the text may be different in each. This information also allows the reader to contact the vendor for help in accessing the information.
Insert a standard pattern of punctuation to clarify the relationship between the elements of the citation. Underlining or italicizing titles, dates, and vendor names can help the reader understand the source of the citation information.
Since many full-text databases do not include page numbers, insert phrases such as "Quote from:" or "Appendix from:" to let your reader know that the information being quoted is from a larger document.

For more detailed information and guidelines for citing both print and electronically formatted government information resources, consult The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: A Manual for Social Science and Business Research, 3rd ed. by Debora Cheney, LexisNexis, Bethesda, MD. 2002. This manual was originally published in 1984 as The Complete Guide to Citing Government Documents: A Manual for Writers and Librarians by Diane Garner and Diane Smith.

Citing Bill Tracking Reports

This database provides bill tracking information such as the date introduced, last action, sponsors, a list of major actions, and a bill digest and summary.

For each citation, include:

Bill number and title the title usually appears in the entry header; when it does not, use the title as it appears in the synopsis. When the title is lengthy, abbreviate it, giving a portion sufficient to distinguish the bill from another with a similar subject. Use an ellipsis (...) to show that the title is abbreviated.
Congress number (107, 108, etc.); date introduced; and date of last action
Database name (Text from: Bill Tracking Report )
Web service name (Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional)
Date accessed by the user (Accessed:)

For example:

"H.R. 2--Line Item Veto Act." (104th Congress; Introduced: 1/4/95; Last Action: 5/17/95). Text from: Bill Tracking Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 2/11/05.
"S. 234--Bill To Exempt a State from Certain Penalties for Failing to Meet Requirements Relating To Motorcycle Helmet Laws if the State Has in Effect a Motorcycle Safety Program " (104th Congress; Introduced: 1/10/95; Last Action: 6/7/95). Text from: Bill Tracking Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 3/5/02.

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Citing Bills

This database contains acts, bills, and resolutions introduced in the House and Senate. As each act, bill, or resolution is introduced, it is assigned a unique number that allows researchers to track how the legislation changes during the legislative process. In order to cite legislation, it is important to understand how bills are numbered and where to find the bill title.

Acts, bills, and resolutions are assigned a unique number that acts as an identifying number for that legislation. This number stays with the legislation through the entire Congress. This number has three parts:

A sequential number assigned when the legislation is first introduced in the House or Senate. When a new Congress convenes, numbering of legislation begins with "1" and continues sequentially until the close of that Congress.
An abbreviation preceding the sequential number to indicate the Chamber of origin and type of legislation (that is, H.R. for House bills, H. Res. for House Resolutions, S. for Senate bills)
The number of the Congress (for example, 101st Congress)

All three parts the number of the Congress (101st), the legislative Chamber and type abbreviation (H.R., S., etc.), and the sequentially assigned number must be supplied in the citation to link it to the text of a specific piece of legislation. For example, the 106th Congress would have both an S. 1 and an H.R. 1 and the 107th Congress would also have both an S. 1 and an H.R. 1. No committee information is required; all legislation is issued by the entire congressional Chamber, not by a committee. The congressional session number (1st or 2nd) can also be omitted.

The exact title of a bill may be difficult to determine. You may use the title given in the synopsis ("An Act To Restore the American Family, Enhance Support ") or the popular or "short" title given in the first section of the bill text ("This act may be cited as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1995 "). When the title is lengthy, you may abbreviate it, giving a portion sufficient to distinguish the bill from another with a similar subject. Use an ellipsis (...) to show the title is abbreviated.

Either "U.S. Senate" or "U.S. House" and the Congress number, to distinguish bills with the same bill number introduced in each Chamber and in different Congresses
Bill number (must be preceded by an abbreviation H.R., H.Res., S., S.J.Res., etc.) and the title (see discussion above)
Version number and version date many bills go through many versions and each may be distinctly different in wording and content. The original version of a bill is always labeled "Version 1". Each version constitutes a separate document.
Database name (Text from: Full Text of Bills )
Date accessed by the user (Accessed: date)
U.S. House. 104th Congress. "H.R. 3, A Bill To Control Crime." (Version: 1; Version Date: 2/9/93). Text from: Full Text of Bills . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 7/04/05).
U.S. Senate. 104th Congress. "S. 4, An Act To Give the President Line Item Veto." (Version: 6; Version Date: 3/29/96). Text from: Full Text of Bills . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 7/04/05.

When the title is lengthy, abbreviate it, giving a portion sufficient to distinguish the bill from another with a similar subject. Use an ellipsis (...) to show the title is abbreviated.

U.S. House. 104th Congress. "H.R. 399: A Bill To Establish a Single, Consolidated Source of Federal Child Care Funding ." (Version: 2; Version Date: 3/12/95). Text from: Full Text of Bills . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 02/15/01.

Some bills will have neither a synopsis nor a popular title. In this case, the bill number and Congress provide enough information to locate the bill text.

U.S. House. 104th Congress. "H. Res. 222."(Version: 2; Version Date: 9/20/95). Text from: Full Text of Bills . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 08/03/03.

Citing Campaign Financial Information

Database Information

This database provides campaign contribution reports for each incumbent or challenger for each federal office (House, Senate, or President) as required by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Reports are provided for the current election cycle and for election cycles going back to 1989-90. When researching candidates for multiple federal offices, you will find a report on each election. Current and former reports are updated periodically. For this reason, your research must always indicate the date of the report cited.

Three types of reports are available in this database for each candidate:

Political Action Committee (PAC) receipts (provide the total receipts for each PAC)
Individual Contribution Receipt Reports (provide individual contributions made directly to a candidate)
Individual Contribution Receipt Reports made to a specific PAC (provide individual contributions to a specific PAC; these always include the FEC Committee ID and the name of the PAC)
Member name, election year cycle, and type of report when a candidate is not serving in Congress
Forum (office candidate is running for), FEC Cand. ID these numbers begin with "H", "S", or "P" to designate the House, Senate, or Presidential forums
Date (be sure to indicate if this is the "Final update")
Database name (Text from: Candidate Receipts Reports )

PAC receipts report

"McEwen, Bob--1991-1992 Cycle PAC Receipts." (Forum: House; FEC Cand. ID: H00H06049; Date: 5/1/94, Final update). Text from: Candidate Receipt Reports . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 1/23/93.

Individual contribution receipts report

"Boxer, Barbara--1995-1996 Cycle Individual Contributions Receipt." (Forum: Senate; FEC Cand. ID: S2CA000286; Date: 5/17/95). Text from: Candidate Receipt Reports . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 1/23/96.

Individual contributions receipt report to a specific PAC

Also include the PAC FEC Comm. ID and PAC name in the citation (for example, the Jack Kemp Compliance Fund is the name of the PAC below):

"Kemp, Jack--1993-1994 Cycle Individual Contributions." (Forum: President; FEC Cand. ID: P80000060; FEC Comm. ID: C00238972-Jack Kemp Compliance Fund; Date: 5/2/95, Final update). Text from: Candidate Receipt Reports . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 5/22/95.

Older reports that are missing information or split into two records

Some pre-1992-93 election cycle reports do not display the FEC Cand. ID number. This information can be omitted from the record. In addition, some longer records have been split into two parts. Be sure to indicate this in the citation:

"Bush, George--1991-1992 Cycle Individual Contributions (2 Parts)." (Forum: President; Date: 2/2/93). Text from: Candidate Receipt Reports . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 7/04/93.

Citing Candidate Financial Reports

This database provides financial reports issued by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for each incumbent and challenger candidate for federal office (President, House, or Senate). It includes information on total receipts, individual contributions, candidate contributions, and other financial information about each candidate's campaign and a list of political action committees (PACs).

This database has multiple reports on candidates who have run for office in more than one election cycle. Likewise, the database has multiple reports generated for candidates who have run for more than one office during the period. The FEC Cand. ID number serves as a unique identifier for each political race ("P" for President, "S" for Senate, or "H" for House). Records are updated regularly; be sure to include the date to alert your reader to the possibility of later changes to the record.

Candidate name and election cycle years
Political office (Forum), FEC Cand. ID, and date be sure to designate if this is the "Final update"
Database name (Text from: Candidate Summary Reports )
"Gingrich, Newt Leroy: 1995-1996." (Forum: House; FEC Cand. ID: H6GA06033; Date: 5/14/96). Text from: Candidate Summary Reports . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 8/04/97.
"Bentsen, Lloyd M., Jr.: 1991-1992." (Forum: Senator; FEC Cand. ID: S6TX 00016; Date: 5/28/93, Final update). Text from: Candidate Summary Reports . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 8/04/97.
"Bentsen, Lloyd M., Jr.: 1991-1992." (Forum: Presidential; FEC Cand. ID: P60000171; Date: 5/28/93, Final update). Text from: Candidate Summary Reports . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 8/04/97.

Citing the Code of Federal Regulations

This database contains the full text of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and is a grouping by subject of all current federal regulations. The CFR is published in 50 titles (numbered 1-50); each title contains many sections. Section symbols can be omitted from the citation.

The CFR is updated using information and text from the Federal Register (FR). A CFR title and section constitute a unique identifier and must be included in every citation. Since the CFR is constantly being updated by the Federal Register , it is crucial to alert your reader to the date of your CFR citation vis-à-vis the Federal Register . This information can be found in the header of the document in a statement of FR currency (for example, "This section is current though the 5/22/96 issue of the Federal Register ".)

CFR title number, section number, and section heading (title, chapter, subchapter, part, and subpart headers should be omitted)
"Current through" date (for example, 5/22/96)
Database name (Text from: Code of Federal Regulations )

"40 CFR 745.113: Certification and Acknowledgment of Disclosure." (Current through 5/22/96). Text from: Code of Federal Regulations . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed 2/10/97.

The CFR title and section when accompanied by the "current through" date provide enough information to locate the exact section cited. Thus, the section heading can be omitted if it is not available or descriptive. For example:

"24 CFR 35.92" (Current through 7/5/96). Text from: Code of Federal Regulations . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 2/10/97.

Citing Committee Information

This database provides information for all House, Senate, and joint committees and subcommittees of the current Congress. Each record provides committee jurisdiction, membership, and key staff.

"U.S.", congressional Chamber (House or Senate) (omit for joint committees) followed by the complete name of the committee and subcommittee (if applicable)
Database name (Text from: Committee Membership Profile Report )
U.S. Senate. Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee." Text from: Committee Membership Profile Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 7/23/05.
U.S. House. Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit." Text from: Committee Membership Profile Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 7/23/05.
"U.S. Joint Economic Committee." Text from: Committee Membership Profile Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 7/23/05.

Citing Committee Prints

Citing committee prints (online).

Committee prints are a generic document type that can cover anything the committee wishes to have published in support of its legislative and oversight functions. Committee prints are issued by House, Senate, and joint committees.

"U.S.", congressional Chamber (House or Senate) and the issuing committee. Use only the name of the main committee, not the name of any subcommittee.
The title of the publication, shortened with an ellipsis (...) if the title is too long
Print number, including CIS number, found in the bibliographic data for the publication
Database name (Text from: Committee Prints )

U.S. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. Strategies for Homeland Defense . (CMP-2001-FOR-0002; Date: Sept. 26, 2001). Text from: ProQuest ® Congressional Research Digital Collection ; Accessed: 7/23/04.

For a joint committee, use "U.S. Congress" and the joint committee's full name. For example:

U.S. Congress. Joint Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Report on the Parliamentary Election in Turkmenistan . (CMP-1995-CSC-0003; Date: Feb. 1995). Text from: ProQuest ® Congressional Research Digital Collection ; Accessed: 7/23/04.

It is not uncommon for a copy of the act or other additional materials to be appended to a committee print. If it is necessary to cite directly to an appendix, use the phrase "Included in" to alert your reader that the item being cited is part of a larger document. For example:

"Countering the Changing Threat of International Terrorism." Included in: U.S. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. Strategies for Homeland Defense . (CMP-2001-FOR-0002; Date: Sept. 26, 2001). Text from: ProQuest ® Congressional Research Digital Collection ; Accessed: 7/23/04."

Citing Committee Prints (Printed or Microfiche)

Congressional committee prints are a generic document type that can cover anything the committee wishes to have published in support of its legislative and oversight functions. Committee prints are available in many libraries in either paper or microfiche and can be identified by using ProQuest ® Congressional.

"U.S.", congressional Chamber (House or Senate), or “U.S. Congress” for joint, and the issuing committee. Use only the name of the main committee as the issuing agency, not the name of any subcommittee.
The title when a title includes the bill number or phrases such as "to accompany" or "with separate views", this information should be included with the title. The title of the publication may be shortened using an ellipsis (...) if the title is too long. If there is a date as part of the title, include it.
Print number (preceded by S.Prt.) combined with the number of the Congress (for example, 102, 103, 104).
Extremely lengthy prints may be published in multiple volumes or parts. Include all part or volume numbers in the citation.
The place of publication, publisher, and date of the original publication
The library classification number assigned to the publication
If citing a CIS microfiche version of the print, include the CIS year and fiche number in a note. If citing a government microfiche, include the word (Microfiche) after the title.

U.S. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs. Nuclear Proliferation Factbook.(S. Prt. 103-111). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1994. (Y4.G74/9:S.PRT.103-111).

U.S. House. Committee on Public Works and Transportation. Transportation and Environmental Infrastructure Needs (Vol. 2). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1995. (1995 CIS microfiche H642-1).

U.S. House. Committee on Energy and Commerce. Wishful Thinking: A World View of Insurance Solvency Regulation. (Microfiche). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1994. (Y4.EN2/3:103-R).

Citing Committee Reports

Citing committee reports (online).

Committee reports are issued by House and Senate committees following the consideration of a specific piece of legislation. The report details the progress of the bill in the committee, including how the bill was amended, what amendments were adopted or rejected, the estimated cost of programs proposed in the legislation, opinions of the minority and majority members of the committee, and the "legislative intent" of the piece of legislation.

"U.S.", congressional Chamber (House or Senate), and the issuing committee
The title when a title includes the bill number or phrases such as "conference report", "to accompany", and "with separate views", this information should be included with the title
Report number, including Congress number the report number (preceded by H. Rpt. or S. Rpt.), combined with the number of the Congress (for example, 102, 103, 104), creates a unique identifier for the report and should be included in every citation
Database name (Text from: Committee Reports )

Note: For additional help citing online reports, see Citing U.S. Serial Set (Online)

Committee names

Since reports are issued by the committee, the committee name must be included in each citation, preceded by U.S. House or U.S. Senate. You need not include "Congress" in the hierarchical order since there is only one U.S. House or Senate. Use only the name of the main committee as the issuing agency, not the name of any subcommittee. For example:

U.S. House. Committee on Appropriations. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 1996, (to Accompany H.R. 2127) Together with Dissenting and Separate Views . (104 H. Rpt. 209). Text from: Committee Reports . Available from: ProQuest Congressional; Accessed: 4/20/04.
U.S. Senate. Committee on Environment and Public Works. Report to the Senate on the Activities of the Committee on Environment and Public Works for the 101st Congress. (102 S. Rpt. 55). Text from: Committee Reports . Available from: ProQuest Congressional; Accessed: 4/20/04.

For a joint committee, use U.S. Congress and the joint committee's full name. For a conference committee, use only U.S. House or U.S. Senate and no committee name. For example:

U.S. Congress. Joint Economic Committee. The 1995 Joint Economic Report (104 S. Rpt. 200). Text from: Committee Reports .bAvailable from: ProQuest Congressional; Accessed: 4/20/04.
U.S. House. National Defense Authorization Act of 1993, Conference Report (to Accompany H.R. 5006). (102 H. Rpt. 966). Text from: Committee Reports . Available from: ProQuest Congressional; Accessed: 4/20/04.

Committee reports may be issued in multiple parts or volumes. In addition, due to the size of a report, the online version of a report may be split into multiple sections. Be sure to provide complete information about multiple parts or volumes as well as the complete number of online section equivalents. For example:

U.S. House. Committee on the Budget. Providing for Reconciliation Pursuant to Section 105 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 1996 . (104 H. Rpt. 280; Vol. 1, Sections 1-15). Text from: Committee Reports . Available from: ProQuest Congressional; Accessed: 4/20/04.
U.S. House. Committee on the Budget. Providing for Reconciliation Pursuant to Section 105 of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 1996 . (104 H. Rpt. 280; Vol. 1, Section 13 of 15). Text from: Committee Reports . Available from: ProQuest Congressional; Accessed: 4/20/04.

It is not uncommon for a copy of the act or other additional materials to be appended to a committee report. On occasion, it may be necessary to cite directly to an appendix. Use the phrase "Included in" to alert your reader that the item being cited is part of a larger document. For example:

"Appendix A: Representative George Miller's Hearing Questions for British Petroleum." Included in: U.S. House. Exports of Alaskan North Slope Oil. (104 H. Rpt. 139, Part 1). Text from: Committee Reports . Available from: ProQuest Congressional; Accessed: 4/30/03.

Citing Committee Reports (Printed or Microfiche)

Congressional committee reports are issued by standing, joint, and conference committees following the consideration of a specific piece of legislation. The report details the progress of the bill in the committee, including how the bill was amended, what amendments were adopted or rejected, the estimated cost of programs proposed in the legislation, opinions of the minority and majority members of the committee, and the "legislative intent" of the piece of legislation. Committee reports are available in libraries in either paper or microfiche.

"U.S.", congressional Chamber (House or Senate), and the issuing committee. Use only the main committee, not the name of any subcommittee.
The title of the publication, shortened with an ellipsis (...) if the title is too long. If there is a date as part of the title, include it. When a title includes the bill number or phrases such as "conference report", "to accompany", and "with separate views", this information should be included with the title.
Report number, including Congress number and date of the report the report number (preceded by H. Rpt. or S. Rpt.), combined with the number of the Congress (for example, 102, 103, 104), creates a unique identifier for the report and should be included in every citation
Place of publication, publisher, and date of the publication
If citing a CIS microfiche of the report, include the CIS year and fiche number in a note. If citing a government microfiche, include the word "Microfiche" in a note after the title.

U.S. House. Committee on the Judiciary. Shipping Act of 1983 . (H. Rpt. 98-53, pt. 2). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1983. (Y1.1/8:98-53/pt.2).

U.S. House. Committee on the Judiciary. Alternative Punishments for Young Offenders, Report Together with Dissenting Views (To Accompany H.R. 3351 )... (H. Rpt. 103-321). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1993. (1993 CIS microfiche H523-21).

U.S. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Fisheries Act of 1993 . (S. Rpt. 104-91). (Microfiche). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1995. (Y1.1/5:104-91).

Citing Congressional Documents

Citing congressional documents (online).

Committee documents function as a major historical record of each Congress by providing texts of Presidential messages to Congress, veto messages, agency annual or special reports to Congress, reports on committee activities, and the texts of committee-sponsored special studies and background information compilations. Documents are issued by either the House or the Senate as a "committee of the whole".

"U.S.", congressional Chamber (House or Senate)
The title, shortened with an ellipsis (...) if the title is too long
If there is a date as part of the title, include it
Document number (preceded by H. Doc. or S. Doc.)
Date of the document, if provided
Documents may be issued in multiple parts or volumes; include all part or volume numbers in the citation
Database name (Text from: Congressional Documents )

U.S. Senate. Task Force on Economic Sanctions . (S. Doc. 105-26). Sept. 8, 1998. Text from: Congressional Documents . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 4/20/04.

Citing Congressional Documents (Printed or Microfiche)

"U.S." and the Chamber (House or Senate) issuing the document
The title of the publication; shortened with an ellipsis (...) if the title is too long
Extremely lengthy documents may be published in multiple volumes or parts. Include all part or volume numbers in the citation.
House or Senate document numbers, if given
If citing GPO microfiche, include a statement of format
If citing a CIS microfiche version of the document, include the CIS year and fiche number in a note. If citing a government microfiche, include the word "Microfiche" after the title.

U.S. Senate. Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, 126th Anniversary, 1867-1993. (S. Doc. 103-17). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1995. (Y1.1/3:103-17).

U.S. House. Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Bridge Replacement at Great Bridge, Chesapeake, Virginia: Communication from the Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (H. Doc. 103-308). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1994. (1995 CIS microfiche H640-1).

U.S. House. Disabled American Veterans, 73d National Convention, Communication from the National Adjutant, Disabled American Veterans . (H. Doc. 103-339). (Microfiche). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1994. (Y1.1/7:103-339).

Citing the Congressional Record

Citing congressional record (daily edition).

This information is related to the daily edition of the Congressional Record , which is accessed from the Advanced Search form. For information on citing the permanent edition of the Congressional Record , available to those users who have access to the Congressional Record Permanent Digital Collection, please see below .

The Daily Congressional Record is issued daily when Congress is in session. Each issue (sometimes printed in more than one part) consists of the sections bulleted below. The page numbers within each section begin with "1" on the first day of the Congress and continue numbering consecutively until the end of that Congress.

Senate Remarks (pages begin with S) contain the legislative debates, communications from the executive branch, memorials, petitions, and information on legislation introduced or passed, including amendments and cosponsors in the Senate
House Remarks (pages begin with H) contain the legislative debates, communications from the executive branch, memorials, petitions, and information on legislation introduced or passed, including amendments and cosponsors in the House of Representatives
Extensions of Remarks (pages begin with E) contain the additional legislative statements not delivered on the floor of the House of Representatives or the Senate, such as speeches delivered outside Congress, letters from and tributes to constituents, and newspaper or magazine articles
Daily Digest (pages begin with D) contain the daily summaries of actions taken by the House and Senate, committees and subcommittees during the legislative day, as well as a listing of activities scheduled for the next day

A citation to the Daily Congressional Record could be to an entire section, to a quote by a specific speaker, to a bill text, or to a specific roll call vote.

Speaker, if provided - the title "Representative" (use for speakers in pages beginning with H) or "Senator" (use for speakers with pages beginning with S) should be added to speaker's name only if the speaker's first name is not provided. In addition, identify the home state of the speaker, if it is provided. This can serve to distinguish speakers with the same last name (for example, Representative Smith (RI) and Representative Smith (MA)). The state can be abbreviated or provided in its entirety.
Title - provided for each entry
Congressional Record volume, issue, date, and page - all located in the header information for each record. Note that the page numbers can begin with H for House, S for Senate, or E for Extensions of Remarks.
Representative McCollum (MN). "Megan's Law." Congressional Record 142: 89 (May 7, 1996) p. H4451. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 5/18/05.
Senator Hatch (UT). "Differences in Judicial Philosophy." Congressional Record 142:93 (June 6, 1996) p. S5903. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 8/23/04.
Forbes, Michael P. (NY) "The Long Island Advance's 125th Anniversary Purchased for $500 in 1871." Congressional Record 142:25 (February 28, 1996), p. E235. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 8/23/04.

This database provides exact paging in the header at the beginning of each entry and also at the top of each screen. This allows the citation to a specific quote to include the exact page number containing that quote. For example:

Senator Dole (KS). "Health Care Reform." Congressional Record 142:94 (May 10, 1996) p. S5986. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 8/23/04.

The text of a bill can frequently be located in the Congressional Record. Try to locate the bill number and include it in the citation. In addition, always use the exact page number where the bill text begins. For example:

"Healthy Meals for Children Act (H.R. 2066)." Congressional Record 142: 90 (May 14, 1996) p. H4911. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 8/23/04.

All roll call votes are numbered. The number must be included in the citation to identify the specific vote being cited. For example:

"Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995: Roll Vote No. 25." Congressional Record 141:22 (January 23, 1995) p. H498. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 8/23/04.

Citing the Congressional Record (Permanent Edition)

This information is related to the permanent edition of the Congressional Record , which is accessed from the Basic, Advanced, and Search by Number forms. For information on citing the daily edition of the Congressional Record , please see above .

A citation to the Congressional Record (Permanent Edition) can be to an entire section or to various types of content within a section (such as a quote by a specific speaker, a bill text, or a specific roll call vote), but all citations should include:

Title - Use the section header from the PDF replica of the original (e.g., Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions)
Congressional Record volume number (e.g., 141)
Publication name ( Congressional Record )
Page (e.g., 11288)
Year (e.g., 1995
Database name (Text from: Congressional Record Permanent Digital Collection )
Date accessed by the user (e.g., Accessed: date)

To cite content quoted by a specific speaker, cite the name of the speaker first.

Note: The title "Representative" or "Senator" should not be added, but the home state of the speaker should be included.

Edward M. Kennedy (MA). "Additional Sponsors - S. 584." Congressional Record 141 (1995) p. 11291. (Text from: Congressional Record Permanent Digital Collection ); Accessed: September 30, 2008.

The text of a bill can frequently be located in the Congressional Record . If possible, locate the bill number and include it in the citation. In addition, always use the exact page number where the bill text begins. For example:

"Common Sense Legal Standards Reform Act (H.R. 946): Roll Vote No. 136." Congressional Record 141 (1995) p. 11287. (Text from: Congressional Record Permanent Digital Collection ); Accessed: September 30, 2008.

Citing CRS Reports

CRS reports provide excellent background information on areas of public policy. The reports are generated by researchers working within the Library of Congress and are created at the request of Members of Congress or their committees.

The issuing agency: U.S. Congressional Research Service
Report number and date
Name of the personal author, if provided
Database name (Text from: Congressional Research Digital Collection )

Note: Report number must include date of issuance because CRS reports are frequently issued in multiple iterations

"U.S. Congressional Research Service. Afghanistan: Current Issues and U.S. Policy (RL30588; Oct. 7, 2003), by Kenneth Katzman. Text in: ProQuest ® Congressional Research Digital Collection; Accessed: December 10, 2005.

Citing the Federal Register

The Federal Register (FR) includes all final and proposed regulations, notices of investigations and meetings, and regulatory investigation notices from federal administrative agencies. Final regulations are added to the next issuance of the Code of Federal Regulations.

A citation to the Federal Register (FR) should allow the reader to find the exact section cited without having to search the entire text of a daily issue. The volume and page number of the FR issue serve as unique identifiers to both the print version and the online version of an FR entry. Page numbering begins with page "1" on the first business day of each year. Each volume number corresponds to a single year.

Title of the section, including part (if applicable), and type of action (final rule, proposed rule to amend, notice, etc.). This information can be found in the header for each database entry.
Federal Register volume, issue, date, and page (located in the header). If an entry has been divided into several parts by the online source, be sure to include this information in the citation.

"National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source Categories: Aerospace Manufacturing and Rework (Proposed Rules and Notice of Public Hearing)." Federal Register 59:146 (August 1, 1994) p. 38949. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 9/15/04.

Occasionally, it is necessary for the online text of an entry to be divided into several parts because of its length. The total number of parts should be included following the date in each entry. However, do not confuse the database "part" (Part I of II and Part II of II, for example) with the regulation "part" (Part XIV, as seen in the example below). Since many regulations are exceedingly complex, it is frequently necessary to publish and update each part individually.

"Final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and Storm Water Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Activities, Part XIV (Notice)." Federal Register 60:189 (Sept. 29, 1995) p. 50804; Parts I-II). Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 9/15/04.

Citing Hearings

Citing hearings (online).

Congressional hearings contain the full transcripts of the proceedings, usually arranged chronologically in the order of appearance of witnesses. Hearings include the record of oral and written statements, committee questions, and discussion. Frequently, hearings also contain texts of related reports, statistical analyses, correspondence, exhibits, and articles presented to the committee by witnesses or inserted into the record by committee members and staff. Hearings are available in many libraries in either paper format or in microfiche and can be identified by using ProQuest ® Congressional.

"U.S.", the Chamber (House or Senate), and the committee or subcommittee name holding the hearing. If the committee is a "joint committee," there will be no Chamber entry.
Extremely lengthy hearings may be published in multiple volumes or parts, include all part or volume numbers in the citation
Database name (Text from: Congressional Hearings )

U.S. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Hazardous Waste Disposal, Part 1 . (HRG-1979-FCH-0059; Date: Mar.-May 1979). Text in: ProQuest ® Congressional Hearings Digital Collection ; Accessed: March 10, 2007.

It is not uncommon for additional materials to be appended to a congressional hearing. If it is necessary to cite directly to an appendix, use the phrase "Included in" to alert your reader that the item being cited is part of a larger document. For example:

"History and Status of Hazardous Waste Management in New Jersey." Included in: U.S. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Testimony Hazardous Waste Disposal, Part 1 . (HRG-1979-FCH-0059; Date: Mar.-May 1979). Text in: ProQuest ® Congressional Hearings Digital Collection ; Accessed: March 10, 2007.

Citing Hearings (Printed or Microfiche)

Congressional hearings contain the full transcripts of the proceedings, usually arranged chronologically in the order of appearance of witnesses. Hearings include the record of oral and written statements, committee questions, and discussion. Frequently hearings also contain texts of related reports, statistical analyses, correspondence, exhibits, and articles presented to the committee by witnesses or inserted into the record by committee members and staff. Hearings are available in many libraries in either paper format or in microfiche and can be identified by using ProQuest ® Congressional.

If citing a CIS microfiche version of the hearing, include the CIS year and fiche number in a note. If citing a government microfiche, include the phrase "Microfiche" as a note after the title.

U.S. House. Committee on International Relations. Evaluating U.S. Foreign Policy , Hearing. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1995. (Y4.IN8/16:F76/11).

U.S. House. Committee on the Judiciary. Baseball's Antitrust Exemption, Part 2 , Hearing, Sept. 22, 1994 Washington: Government Printing Office, 1995. (1995 CIS microfiche H521-20).

U.S. Senate. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Domestic Petroleum Production and International Supply , Hearing. (Microfiche). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1995. (Y4.EN2:S.HRG.104-50).

Citing Member Financial Information

ProQuest ® Congressional information includes congressional member financial forms filed by Members of Congress each year. Each form covers a single calendar year. Forms from 1991 to date are included.

Member name, calendar year, forum (House or Senate), and state (may be abbreviated using standard abbreviations)
Database name (Text from: U.S. Congress Financial Disclosure Statement )
"James Louis Oberstar--Calendar Year 1993" (House; MN). Text from: U.S. Congress Financial Disclosure Statement . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 9/14/99.
"Robert J. Dole--Calendar Year 1994" (Senate; KS). Text from: U.S. Congress Financial Disclosure Statement . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 9/14/99.

Citing Member Information

This database provides a biographical summary for each Member of the current Congress, including committee and subcommittee assignments, and names and location of the Member's staff in Washington and in his or her home district.

Member name and the state he or she represents. Always provide the state the individual represents to distinguish between Members with common surnames; the state can be abbreviated or spelled out in full.
Database name (Text from: Member Profile Report )
"Senator John H. Glenn (Ohio)." Text from: Member Profile Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 12/12/04.
"Representative Barbara-Rose Collins (MI)." Text from: Member Profile Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 12/12/04.

Citing Newspapers

Author (Byline)
Title of the article (Headline)
Publication data title of the newspaper, date, section, and page number

Millbank, Dana. "Final Day of Nomination Hearings: Yawn." Washington Post 26 September 2005, A06. ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 9/16/05.

Citing Member Voting Records

This database provides information on how each Member of Congress has voted on a particular bill.

Member name, state (may be abbreviated), bill number and Congress number
Database name: (Text from: Legislative Profile Report )
"Senator Lloyd Bentsen (TX); S. 123, 102nd Congress. Text from: Legislative Profile Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 3/15/04.
"Representative Lynn M. Martin (IL)"; H.R. 54, 100th Congress. Text from: Legislative Profile Report . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 3/15/04.

Citing Public Laws

This database contains the full text of public laws (P.L.). These laws are also published in the print publication Statutes at Large (Stat.) and most will be codified by topic in the United States Code Service . The volume and page numbers in the Statutes at Large together serve as a unique identifier for a P.L. in both this database and in print; they must be included in every citation and can be found in the header of each document.

Public law number (P.L.) and title, if provided
Statutes at Large (Stat.) volume and page, date, and enacted bill number, if known
Database name (Text from: United States Public Laws )

"Public Law 102-240: Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991." (105 Stat. 1914; Date: 12/18/91). Text from: United States Public Laws. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 4/23/04.

Many public laws do not have short or popular name titles (for example, "The Social Security Act") or the title is not part of the header information within the online source. In these cases, the title can be omitted, but the public law number must always be included. For example:

"Public Law 104-19." (109 Stat. 194; Date: 7/27/95). Text from: United States Public Laws. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 4/23/04.

The enacted bill number is always useful for confirming the relationship between a bill number and the specific public law being cited. The bill number can frequently be found in the header information for each public law. For example:

"Public Law 102-25: Persian Gulf Conflict Supplemental Authorization and Personnel Benefits Act of 1991." (105 Stat. 75; Date: 4/6/91; enacted S. 725). Text from: United States Public Laws. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 4/23/04.

Citing Testimony (Transcribed or Written)

This database contains transcripts of congressional committee hearings. These transcripts cover both statements of witnesses and the question and answer (Q&A) sessions between witnesses and Members of Congress.

"U.S. Congress" and the committee or subcommittee name use the name of the committee as supplied within the transcript; this will typically include the words "House" or "Senate" and the phrase "Hearing of the " as part of the committee name. These phrases should be included exactly as given. This information is usually contained in the "headline" of the document.
Headline (or title) provides the subject of the committee hearing; use the headline exactly as provided within the transcript
Witness name the affiliation or title of a witness can be omitted, particularly if the affiliation or title is not official; witness names can also be entered last name first (for example, Albright, Madeline K.) to maintain an alphabetical arrangement of works by a single author within a bibliography. (This applies only to citations from Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony ).
Hearing date
Database name (Text from:) there are several sources included in this database: FDCH Political Transcripts; Federal Information System Corporation Federal News Service; Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony; CQ Transcriptions .
U.S. Congress. House Ways and Means Committee. "Holds Hearing on the 1993 Gasoline Tax." (Date: 5/8/96). Text from: FDCH Political Transcripts . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed 10/15/98.
U.S. Congress. Hearing of the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the House National Security Committee. "POW/MIA Issues." (Date: 6/19/96). Text from: Federal Information System Corporation Federal News Service . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed 10/15/98.
Madeleine K. Albright (U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dept. of State). "Testimony on FY97, Commerce/Justice/State Appropriations before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies." (Date: 5/23/96). Text from: Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed 10/15/98.

Since a hearing transcript may contain the statements and Q&A of committee members and witnesses, it may be necessary to quote a specific statement within the transcript. The database does not provide page or screen numbers. To quote a specific statement or segment within the transcript, provide the name of the person being quoted and the specific hearing transcript.

Include the speaker name (lists containing the complete name of each person are included at the beginning of each transcript). The affiliation or title of a witness can be omitted, particularly if the affiliation or title is not official. Titles of the Members of Congress should be included. The first speaker's name can also be entered last name first (for example, Albright, Madeline K.) to maintain an alphabetical arrangement of works by a single author within a bibliography.

Rep. Gilman (N.Y.). Quote from: U.S. Congress. Hearing of the House International Relations Committee. "PLO Commitment Compliance and Terrorist Threat to Israel." (Date: 3/12/96). Text from: Federal Information Systems Corporation Federal News Service . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed 10/15/98.
William Bennett. Quote from: U.S. Congress. Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "National Drug Control Strategy." (Date: 2/2/90). Text from: Federal Information Systems Corporation Federal News Service . Available on: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed 10/15/98.
Representative Floyd Spence (S.C.). Quote from: U.S. Congress. House National Security Committee. "Holds Hearing on Improving the Management and Operation of Intelligence Activities." (Date: 7/11/96). Text from: FDCH Political Transcripts . Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed 10/15/98.

Citing U.S. Code

This database contains the full text of the United States Code Service (USCS) as published by Matthew Bender. This database is essentially the current public laws of the United States arranged by subject. The USCS is published in 50 subject titles (numbered 1-50); each title contains many sections. Section symbols (for example, @) can be omitted from the citation.

The title number, USCS section number, and edition date found in the header for each entry are unique identifiers and must be included in every citation; the date (for example, 1996) must also be included in each citation to verify the exact edition/version being cited.
Section heading (for example, "Misbranded Foods") - can be located in the header for each entry. This is additional useful information for the reader. "Parts" and "Chapters" should be omitted.
Database name (Text from: United States Code Service , including the statement of currency found at the top of each citation)

"21 USCS 343 (1996): Misbranded Food." Text from: United States Code Service . Current through 5/31/98. Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional; Accessed: 10/15/1998.

The USCS title, section, and edition date provide enough information to locate the exact section being cited. Thus, the section heading can be omitted.

Citing U.S. Serial Set

Citing u.s. serial set (online).

The U.S. Serial Set is the official compilation of congressional reports and documents. At one time nearly all government publications were issued as congressional documents in the Serial Set and bear a congressional number reflecting the Congress and a unique number for the document itself (e.g., 42nd Congress, H. Doc. 242). Within the Serial Set there are documents, reports, hearings, executive documents, congressional journals, and prints. The bound volumes have been numbered consecutively since 1817.

"U.S.", congressional Chamber (House or Senate), and the issuing committee, if known
The title - when a title includes any bill number or phrases such as "conference report", "to accompany", and "with separate views", this information should be included with the title
Report or document number, preceded by the number of the Congress and then followed by the Serial Set volume number. For Journals include the date of the publication.
Database name (Text from: Serial Set Digital Collection )
U.S. House. Select Committee on Small Business. Organization and Operation of the Small Business Administration: A Report … Pursuant to H. Res. 46. (H. Rpt. 87-2564; Serial Set 12440) . Text in: ProQuest ® Serial Set Digital Collection ; Accessed: December 10, 2005.
U.S. Department of State. Statistical View of the Population of the United States from 1790-1830 Inclusive . (S. Doc.23-505; Serial Set 252). Text in: ProQuest ® Serial Set Digital Collection ; Accessed: December 10, 2005.
U.S. House. Committee on Military Affairs. Testimony Taken by the Committee on Military Affairs in Relation to the Texas Border Troubles . (H. Misc. Doc. 45-64; Serial Set 1820). Text in: ProQuest ® Serial Set Digital Collection ; Accessed: December 10, 2005.
U.S. Congress. Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 55th Congress, 3rd Session. December 1898. (Serial Set 3742). Text in: ProQuest ® Serial Set Digital Collection ; Accessed: December 10, 2005.

Note: For additional help citing U.S. Serial Set online, see Citing Committee Reports (Online) and Citing Congressional Documents (Online)

Citing U.S. Serial Set (Microfiche)

The title—when a title includes any bill number or phrases such as "conference report", "to accompany", and "with separate views", this information should be included with the title
Report or document number, preceded by the number of the Congress and then followed by the Serial Set volume number. For Journals include the date of the publication

U.S. Department of State. Statistical View of the Population of the United States from 1790-1830 Inclusive . (S. Doc. 23-505; Serial Set 252) Washington; Duff Green, 1835. (CIS Serial Set microfiche 252 S.doc 505).

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Last Updated: Jul 25, 2023 3:18 PM
URL: https://proquest.libguides.com/congressionalhelp

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Bluebook Legal Citation

Intro signals: E.g., See, See also, Cf., etc.
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Bluebook Rule (21st): 13

Citation of legislative material is covered by rule 13. The Bluebook states that when citing United States legislative material (except debates), you should include the title, if relevant, the abbreviated name of the chamber, the number of the Congress, the number assigned to the material, and the year of publication. State materials are typically cited the same way.

Bills and Resolutions Bluebook Rule (21st): 13.2

Rule 13.2 holds that you should include in your citation the name of the bill, if relevant, the abbreviated name of the house, the number of the bill, the number of the Congress, the section, and the publication year. If there are multiple versions of the same bill, you can indicate such in a parenthetical.

Enacted bills are considered "statutes" for Bluebook purposes, and should be cited as such (except when documenting legislative history).

Example : Orphan Works Act of 2008, H.R. 5889, 110th Cong. § 2 (2008).

Hearings Bluebook Rule (21st): 13.3

To cite committee hearings, you should include the entire title as it appears on the cover, the bill number, the subcommittee name, the committee name, the number of the Congress, the page number of the material cited, and the year of publication. State and federal materials follow the same form. Subcommittee and committee names may be abbreviated according to tables T6 , T9 , and T10 .

Example : Promoting the Use of Orphan Works: Balancing the Interests of Copyright Owners and Users: Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, 110 Cong. 52 (2008) (Statement of Corinne P. Kevorkian).

Reports, documents, and committee prints Bluebook Rule (21st): 13.4

Citations to reports should include the name of the house, the number of the Congress with the number of the report, the part or page number, and the year of publication.

Legislative reports, like reports from the Congressional Research Service, are cited as reports with institutional authors according to rule 15.1(c) .

Example : H.R. Rep No. 105-452, at 5 (1998).

State materials generally follow the same rules. However, if it is not clear, provide the name of the state parenthetically.

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Last Updated: Sep 6, 2023 10:57 AM
URL: https://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/bluebook-legal-citation

How to Cite U.S. Government Documents in APA Citation Style: Congressional Record

House and Senate Reports and Documents
Congressional Hearings & Testimony

Congressional Record

A note about URLs
Congressional Bills and Resolutions
Federal Laws/Statutes
Executive Documents -- Presidential Papers, Proclamations and Executive Orders
Rules/Regulations -- Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) and the Federal Register
Foreign Relations of the United States
State Legislative Documents
State Statutes (Laws)
Court Cases
Government Agencies
Other legal citations

The Publication Manual of the APA does not specifically address citing the Congressional Record . For materials not covered in the Publication Manual , the APA refers users to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation . The recommendations below are based on the 21st edition of The Bluebook :

The Congressional Record is issued in two editions -- the Daily Edition and the Permanent Edition. Writers should "use the Daily Edition only for matters not yet appearing in the permanent collection." ( The Bluebook , 2020)

Citing to the Permanent Bound Edition:

In text citation:.

Following the general APA and Bluebook principles for citing legislative materials, the in-text citation would look like this:

(142 Cong. Rec. 14979, 1996)

Reference list:

Cite to the volume and page number of the permanent edition of the Congressional Record:

142 Cong. Rec. 14979 (1996)
142 Cong. Rec 14982 (1996) (statement of Sen. John McCain).

In the example, above, 142 is the volume, 14979 is the page number.

For proceedings that have not yet appeared in the Permanent Edition of the Congressional Record:

*If the text is not yet published in the permanent edition, you will need to cite to the Daily Edition. The Daily Edition includes the prefixes H, S and E.* before page numbers. (The Bluebook, 2020, p. 140).

Citing this in text is not specifically addressed in either The Bluebook or the APA Publication Manual. Following general APA and Bluebook principles for citing legislative materials:

(159 Cong. Rec. H227, 2013)
159 Cong. Rec. H227 (daily ed. Jan. 23, 2013) (statement of Rep. Yarmuth)

These abbreviations refer to sections of the Daily Edition: H=House; S=Senate; E=Extension of Remarks

<< Previous: Congressional Hearings & Testimony
Next: Congressional Bills and Resolutions >>
Last Updated: Aug 7, 2023 2:19 PM
URL: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/citing_us_gov_docs

Lucy Scribner Library

Political science: citing sources.

Locating Documents
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Citing Sources

APA Resources

Purdue OWL - APA Guide
American Psychological Association - Style Guide
APA Print Guide - 7th Edition
APA Crash Course This tutorial was created by Valencia and Seminole State College. It covers basics including formatting and citing.

Cite a CRS Report in APA

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of report in sentence case and italics (CRS Report No. xxxxxxx). Retrieved from Congressional Research Service website: URL

Example:

Erwin, M. C. (2011). Intelligence issues for Congress (CRS Report No. RL33539). Retrieved from Congressional Research Service website: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/RL33539.pdf

Chicago Resources

Purdue OWL - Chicago Guide
Chicago Print Guide - Notes/Bibliography
Chicago Print Guide - Author/Date

Citing Government Documents

The diverse formats of government information often make citing the material more problematic than journals or books. The following recommended references may help you determine the proper citation format.

How to Cite US Government Documents in MLA, APA Citation Style Cornell Univesity Library provides general principles for citing US Government documents in student research papers in MLA or APA format, along with examples by type of document.
DocsCite A step-by-step guide to putting government publication citations into proper style format (APA or MLA) using a template; from Arizona State University.
Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide for Government Documents This Quick Guide from Bowdoin College Library provides examples of citations for government documents based on the Notes and Bibliography system of the 15th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style as the 16th edition does not include guidance for the creation of bibliographic entries for these documents.
An rich set of citation examples of all types of government documents from ProQuest Congressional.

Books:

The Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law Review Association. 2010. Reference, 1st Flr.: KF 245 .U55 2010. The authoritative guide for citing legal materials.
Cheney, Debora. The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: a Manual for Social Science & Business Research. 3rd ed. Bethesda, MD : LexisNexis ; Congressional Information Service, 2002. Reference Desk, 1st Flr.: J 9.5 .G37 2002. The best, most comprehensive guide to citing government documents at all levels -- U.S. federal, state, and local; IGO; and foreign -- and in all formats. Includes extensive coverage of electronic formats (website files, data files, e-mail messages, webcasts, image files, etc.)
<< Previous: Social Sciences Citation Index
Last Updated: Oct 6, 2023 4:39 PM
URL: https://libguides.skidmore.edu/PoliSci

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Government Publications: United States: Citation Guides

Finding Aids
Federal Government
CRS Reports
Historic Government Documents
Popular Documents

Citation Guides

Congressional Research Service Reports

Helpful Hints

If you need citation help beyond what you find in The Chicago Manual of Style , Turabian or APA , check these guides out.

Additional Resources

Chicago Manual of Style Quick Online Guide
Turabian Quick Guide From the Publisher's website.
APA Citation Style, 7th edition: Government Publication Citing Government Sources in APA, 7th edition. From the Douglas College Library
The Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation The authoritative guide for citing legal materials. Available at Ginn Library
The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: a Manual for Social Science & Business Research Print: by Debora Cheney. 3rd Revised edition. Bethesda, MD: LexisNexis : Congressional Information Service, 2002. Ref J 9.5 .G37 2002.
Guide: Citing U.S. Government Publications Indiana University guide for citing U.S. Government publications. Based on Garner and Cheney's The Complete Guide to Citing Government Documents: A Manual for Writers & Librarians (1993).
Introduction to Basic Legal Citation (LII 2010 ed.) by Peter W. Martin
User's Guide to the Bluebook Print: Rev. for the 19th ed. Tisch Ref KF 245 .D853 2010
<< Previous: Popular Documents
Last Updated: Dec 18, 2023 9:51 AM
URL: https://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/GovernmentPublications

Turabian Citation Style Guide: Government Agency Reports and Technical Reports

Bills or Resolutions (Federal unenacted)
Book Chapters (in edited books)
Books (electronic)
Books (print)
Congressional Hearings
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports
Court Cases – U.S. Supreme Court
Executive Orders

Government Agency Reports and Technical Reports

Journal Articles (in electronic databases)
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Personal Communications and Interviews
Public Laws: U.S. Statutes at Large/U.S. Code
Secondary Sources
Websites and Web Documents
Turabin Citation Quick Guide
Color Coded Citation Examples
Citing Government Documents

N: 1. Cathleen A. Berrick, Homeland Security, 7. *Cross –referencing between author and department may be appropriate in both the bibliography and reference list. B: Berrick, Cathleen A. See U.S. Government Accountability Office. B: U.S. Government Accountability Office. Homeland Security: DHS’s Progress and Challenges in Key Areas of Maritime, Aviation, and Cybersecurity, by Cathleen A. Berrick. GAO-10-106. 2009 . http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10106.pdf (accessed March 1, 2010). P: (Berrick 2009, 7) R: Berrick, Cathleen A. See U.S. Government Accountability Office. R: U.S. Government Accountability Office. 2009. Homeland Security: DHS’s Progress and Challenges in Key Areas of Maritime, Aviation, and Cybersecurity, by Cathleen A. Berrick. GAO-10-106. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10106.pdf (accessed March 1, 2010). N: 1. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), Joint Vision 2020, 36. B: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). Joint Vision 2020. Washington, DC: GPO, June 2000. http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/LPS5598/jv2020.pdf (accessed March 1, 2010). P: (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) 2000, 36) R: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). June 2000. Joint Vision 2020. Washington, DC: GPO. http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/LPS5598/jv2020.pdf (accessed March 1, 2010).

B: = Biblography

P: = In-text citations which are enclosed in parentheses.

R: = Reference List

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Next: Journal Articles (in electronic databases) >>
Last Updated: Dec 20, 2021 10:54 AM
URL: https://libguides.oakwood.edu/Turabian

NPS Dudley Knox Library
Research Guides

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

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Search Archive-It CRS Reports

This is free searchable archive of CRS reports from numerous different sites. They are available at this Archive-It site and are searchable from the box below. Currency varies.

What is the Congressional Research Service (CRS)?

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a division of the Library of Congress. They produce analytical, non-partisan reports on topics of interest to members of Congress. In 2018 they stood up a public website for dissemination of their more recent reports, and there are a number of free and subscription sites where you can find current and older CRS reports. You can also request copies from your Congressional Representative.

Many CRS reports are frequently updated, so try to find the most recent version using the resources in this guide. The CRS logo and a header from a typical CRS report are below.

CRS Logo

Where to find CRS Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports The Congressional Research Service's site for finding current and recent CRS Reports more... less... CRS offers a variety of written products to Congress, including its well-known reports that provide in-depth research and analysis.

Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) A searchable free collection updated weekly.
Archive-It Congressional Research Service Reports This site searches across many of the sites that provide free access to CRS reports - often a lag in current updates.
Federation of American Scientists CRS Reports A very good site for current reports, organized by broad category but not very searchable nor historic.
University of North Texas (UNT) Digital Library CRS Reports A great colllection and very searchable but a long delay in posting the most current reports.

CRS Reports from "Greta's Weekly Email"

Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL) CRS Collection All of the reports listed on greta's weekly email are posted in the HSDL. They are usually posted within 7-10 days and all prior versions are retained. This collection is open to the public.

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Help with research; search strategies; finding books, articles, reports on a topic; finding NPS theses; citations & Zotero; library accounts and access

Older CRS Reports

The Library has older (mid-1970's to mid-1990's) CRS reports on microfiche and microfilm. For help with these, contact Ask a Librarian .

Last Updated: Aug 2, 2023 9:59 AM
URL: https://libguides.nps.edu/crs

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Congressional Information

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Citing Sources

Citation manuals, citation managers, citation guides.

The primary reasons for citing sources in a research paper are to give credit to the authors whose work you have drawn upon and to allow readers to track down your sources , should they wish to do so.

There are many style guides for formatting citations and creating bibliographies. Turabian (a simplified version of Chicago) is frequently used, but you may be called upon to use others.

See the box at the right for tools to help you format citations and bibliographies.

Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation by Harvard Law Review Association Call Number: KF246 .U5 ISBN: 1062-9971 The authoritative guide for citing legal materials.
RefWorks This link opens in a new window RefWorks is an online research management, writing, and collaboration tool designed to help researchers gather, manage, store, and share information and generate citations and bibliographies.
Zotero Zotero is a free tool designed to help you gather, manage and share information about books, articles, web pages and other digital objects that you are using in your research, and to generate citations and bibliographies. Zotero is a Mozilla browser plugin. You can choose to gather your data on your hard drive (if you are working mainly from one computer), or on a flash drive or a network (if you frequently access your data at multiple workstations).
Mendeley Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network that can help you organize your research, collaborate with others online, and discover the latest research. You can automatically generate bibliographies, collaborate with other researchers online, import papers from other research software, find relevant papers based on what you’re reading, and access your papers from anywhere online.

Many libraries and other institutions have compiled guides of best practices for citing government information in various styles. Although the "official" manuals of style remain the authoritative source, you might find the guides below have helpful examples:

Purdue's OWL Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab) provides guides to MLA, APA, and Chicago styles, as well as advice on research, writing and citation.
How to Cite US Government Documents in MLA, APA Citation Style This guide from Cornell University Library covers a variety of government documents for both MLA and APA styles.
APA Style - Government Report PDF from Trinity College on citing government reports in APA format.
Citing Government Information Sources Using MLA Style This style sheet from the University of Nevado Reno Library details how to cite government information using the Modern Language Association.
Uncle Sam: Brief Guide to Citing Government Publications Citation examples for laws, agency reports, and other types of government publications. In Chicago/Turabian format. From the University of Memphis.
Chicago Quick Guide to Government Documents A 9-page PDF on citing government publications according to the Chicago Manual of Style (15th). From Bowdoin College.
Citing Records in the National Archives of the United States In response to frequent requests from researchers, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) offers the following guidelines for citing unpublished records it holds. The guidelines cover citations to textual records, microform records, nontextual archives (i.e., photographic records, posters, motion pictures, tape recordings, cartographic records, and architectural drawings), electronic records, and online references.
<< Previous: Citations & Bibliography
Last Updated: Nov 29, 2023 3:53 PM
URL: https://guides.library.georgetown.edu/Congress

Citing Business Information: Government Sources

Information from Business Databases
Data & Statistics
Government Sources
Citation Management Tools

How to Cite Government Information

When citing Government data, follow these guidelines;

Include format type in brackets [ ] to describe format, not title information (e.g. data set, data file, codebook).
Use “Available from” if the URL or DOI points you to a website or information on how to obtain or download data at a general site that houses data sets. Use “Retrieved from” if the URL or DOI takes you directly to the data table or database.

How to Cite Congressional Research Service reports

Image of title page of CRS report called Right to Work Laws Legislative Background and Empirical Research

Labonte, M. (2011). The economic implications of the long-term federal budget outlook (CRS Publication No. RL32747). Retrieved from Congressional Research Service. http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/171384.pdf

How to Cite American FactFinder

U.S. Census Bureau (2011). Selected housing characteristics, 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-year estimates . Retrieved from http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_11_5YR_DP04

How to Cite datasets from the Bureau of Economic Analysis

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce (2016). Gross Output by industry 2008-2015 . [Data file] Available from http://www.bea.gov/itable/

How to Cite Government Accountability Office reports

Government Accountability Office. (2012). Charter schools: Additional federal attention needed to help protect access for students with disabilities . (GAO Publication No. 12-543). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-543

Ask A Business Librarian

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Call (303) 492-8367

Email [email protected]

<< Previous: Websites
Next: Books >>
University of Colorado Boulder Libraries
Research Guides
Location: Business
Citing Business Information
Last Updated: Apr 10, 2024 12:48 PM
URL: https://libguides.colorado.edu/CiteBusiness

How do I cite a congressional document in print and online?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

Cite a congressional document by following the MLA format template . Begin by listing the government entity as the author, followed by the title of the source. Then list the name of the publisher and the date:

United States, Congress, House, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Al-Qaeda: The Many Faces of an Islamist Extremist Threat. Government Printing Office, 2006.

Following 2.1.3 of the MLA Handbook , you might include information about the congressional session from which the document emerged or specify the document’s type and number in the optional-element slot at the end of the entry:

United States, Congress, House, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Al-Qaeda: The Many Faces of an Islamist Extremist Threat. Government Printing Office, 2006. 109th Congress, 2nd session, House Report 615.

To cite a congressional document found online, provide the information for the document in one container. Then provide the name of the website on which the document appears, along with the URL or DOI:

United States, Congress. Public Law 111-122. United States Statutes at Large , vol. 123, 2009, pp. 3480-82. U.S. Government Publishing Office , www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-123/pdf/STATUTE-123.pdf.

See more examples of citations for government and legal works .

The Federal Register

The daily journal of the united states government, request access.

Due to aggressive automated scraping of FederalRegister.gov and eCFR.gov, programmatic access to these sites is limited to access to our extensive developer APIs.

If you are human user receiving this message, we can add your IP address to a set of IPs that can access FederalRegister.gov & eCFR.gov; complete the CAPTCHA (bot test) below and click "Request Access". This process will be necessary for each IP address you wish to access the site from, requests are valid for approximately one quarter (three months) after which the process may need to be repeated.

An official website of the United States government.

If you want to request a wider IP range, first request access for your current IP, and then use the "Site Feedback" button found in the lower left-hand side to make the request.

IMAGES

Citation Guide
how to cite congressional research service reports
How to Properly Cite an Act of Congress in APA
How to Properly Cite an Act of Congress in APA
How to Properly Cite an Act of Congress in APA
Government Sources

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COMMENTS

Q. How do I cite a Congressional Research Services report in APA?
Title of report in sentence case and italics (CRS Report No. xxxxxxx). Retrieved from Congressional Research Service website: URL Retrieved from Congressional Research Service website: URL Example:
Citation Guide
The citation tool is present on the top toolbar of each Congress.gov collection page, such as Legislation, the Congressional Record, Committees, and Members. Clicking on the citation tool will open a popup. You may click Copy to Clipboard for each of the four available citation formats. Once copied, the citation will be saved to your clipboard ...
A Guide to APA Style 7th Edition
CRS = Congressional Research Service, an arm of the Library Congress that conducts research on policy for the US Congress. Gen. Ct. = General Court, usually refers to a state level congressional session. H.R. or H. = House of Representatives. P.L. = Public Law. Rep. or Rep. No. = Report or report number. S. or Sen. = Senate. Sess. = Session
ProQuest® Congressional Help
The reports are generated by researchers working within the Library of Congress and are created at the request of Members of Congress or their committees. For each citation, include: The issuing agency: U.S. Congressional Research Service. The title. Report number and date. Name of the personal author, if provided.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports N: 1 U.S. Library of Congress, CRS, Intelligence Issues for Congress , by Richard A. Best Jr., CRS Report RL33539 (Washington, DC: Office of Congressional Information and Publishing, June 1, 2010).
Citing Government Publications
Citing government information can be a daunting task. Citation managers do not always know how to handle government documents and there isn't really an agreed-upon standard for citing all types of government publications. Always check the style manual for your particular citation style and use this guide for general advice.
How do I cite a Congressional Research Service report?
A Congressional Research Service report with an individual author: Woolf, Amy F. (2021, December 14). U.S. strategic nuclear forces: Background, development, and issues.
House and Senate Reports and Documents
If your reference includes a part or volume, you can use the format dictated by The Bluebook, adding the part or volume number after the report number, as indicated above. Sample Senate Report: Investigation of Illegal or Improper Activities in Connection with 1996 Federal Election Campaigns, Vol. 1
Citing
Database name (Text from: Congressional Research Digital Collection) Web service name (Available from: ProQuest ® Congressional) Date accessed by the user (Accessed: date) Note: Report number must include date of issuance because CRS reports are frequently issued in multiple iterations. For example: "U.S. Congressional Research Service.
PDF ACUS Rules of Citation & Style
Citations to Congressional Research Service reports consist of five components: (1) the author's name, (2) the abbreviated name of the agency, (3) the report number, (4) the title of the report, and (5) the year of the report in parentheses. All components are in SMALL CAPS. • Example: JARED P. COLE, C. R •..
CRS Reports
These documents were prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Legislative Materials
Citations to reports should include the name of the house, the number of the Congress with the number of the report, the part or page number, and the year of publication. Legislative reports, like reports from the Congressional Research Service, are cited as reports with institutional authors according to rule 15.1(c).
Congressional Record
The Publication Manual of the APA does not specifically address citing the Congressional Record. For materials not covered in the Publication Manual, the APA refers users to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.The recommendations below are based on the 21st edition of The Bluebook:. The Congressional Record is issued in two editions -- the Daily Edition and the Permanent Edition.
PDF USCCR Citation Reference Guide
This citation reference guide begins with a general list of do's and don'ts for citing sources. The ... Congressional Research Service, Addressing Sexual Harassment by Modifying, p. 6. ... For the purposes of USCCR SAC reports, a government document is anything written by a federal agency. Usually, these "publications" are found on the ...
Citing Sources
ProQuest Congressional's How to Cite An rich set of citation examples of all types of government documents from ProQuest Congressional. Books: The Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Law Review Association. 2010. Reference, 1st Flr.: KF 245 .U55 2010. The authoritative guide for citing legal materials. Cheney, Debora.
Government Publications: United States: Citation Guides
The Bluebook: a Uniform System of Citation. The authoritative guide for citing legal materials. Available at Ginn Library. The Complete Guide to Citing Government Information Resources: a Manual for Social Science & Business Research. Print: by Debora Cheney. 3rd Revised edition. Bethesda, MD: LexisNexis : Congressional Information Service, 2002.
Government Agency Reports and Technical Reports
Citation Examples Toggle Dropdown. Bills or Resolutions (Federal unenacted) Book Chapters (in edited books) Books (electronic) Books (print) Congressional Hearings ; Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports ; Court Cases - U.S. Supreme Court ; Executive Orders ; Government Agency Reports and Technical Reports
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The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a division of the Library of Congress. They produce analytical, non-partisan reports on topics of interest to members of Congress. In 2018 they stood up a public website for dissemination of their more recent reports, and there are a number of free and subscription sites where you can find current and older CRS reports.
Citing Gov Info
Many libraries and other institutions have compiled guides of best practices for citing government information in various styles. Although the "official" manuals of style remain the authoritative source, you might find the guides below have helpful examples: Purdue's OWL. Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab) provides guides to MLA, APA, and ...
Citing Government Information
How to Cite Government Information Resources like a Pro. This webinar provides an overview of the principles of scholarly citation and focus on the specific problems and peculiarities involved in citing Government documents. We examine each of the parts of a complete Government information resource citation and discuss the best ways to present ...
Research Guides: Citing Business Information: Government Sources
How to Cite Government Information. When citing Government data, follow these guidelines; Include format type in brackets [ ] to describe format, not title information (e.g. data set, data file, codebook). Use "Available from" if the URL or DOI points you to a website or information on how to obtain or download data at a general site that ...
PDF Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide for Government Documents
This guide is based on the citation elements in the Notes and Bibliography system of the 15th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style (henceforth CMOS15).1 However, in this guide, that style is updated to reflect the "look and feel" and the recommendations for URLs and access dates of the current 17th edition of the The Chicago Manual of ...
How do I cite a congressional document in print and online?
To cite a congressional document found online, provide the information for the document in one container. Then provide the name of the website on which the document appears, along with the URL or DOI: United States, Congress. Public Law 111-122. United States Statutes at Large, vol. 123, 2009, pp. 3480-82.
Federal Register :: Criminal Justice Reviews for the SBA Business Loan
Congressional Review Act. The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has determined that this rule is not a major rule under Subtitle E of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (also known as the Congressional Review Act), 5 U.S.C. 804(2). The annual effect on the economy is ...
PDF Supercharging Research: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Meet
Service runs four times a day in order to produce weather forecasts up to 16 days in advance, but with a spatial resolution of about 13 km, and with input data assimilated in a six hour cycle. 137
H.R.8214
Summary of H.R.8214 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): To ratify and approve all authorizations, permits, verifications, extensions, biological opinions, incidental take statements, and any other approvals or orders issued pursuant to Federal law necessary for the establishment and administration of the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program, and for other purposes.