Start with background reading, even if you already have a topic
Look for exact title of law or legislation – e.g. “Defense of Marriage Act” – most effective is to search title in quotes; also, know the acronyms: e.g. DOMA OR “United States v. Windsor”
CQ Researcher – reporting/analysis on socio-political issues from journalists who cover congress and legislation, policy and judiciary
Hot Topics –
- Summary
- Chronology – important dates
- Related reports – pay attention to the date
- Pro/Con – shows public debate between liberal/conservative groups
- Bibliography - points to full-length books, reports, agencies that work on this issue, etc.
Keyword search will also return topic articles
Proquest Congressional - Browse Topics pages
If you choose a piece of Congressional Legislation:
- Proquest Congressional
- Browse topic pages
- Legislative history - text, CR debates also Committee Report, Hearing transcripts
- For floor votes
- CQ Almanac – narrative accounts of specific major legislation considered by Congress
- Search “Defense of Marriage Act” 1996 article, New Law Discourages…
- Gives the bill number (HR 3396) and public law number (PL 104-199) – these are useful for looking up legislative history elsewhere
- Background/political analysis, committee action are valuable sections
- Links to related CQ items on judicial decisions, votes and other bills
- Hein Online
- US Federal Content – Congressional docs, federal legislative history – then search within that group
If you choose a Supreme Court case:
- Supreme Court website
- Oral argument transcripts, opinions, and orders
- Oyez project
- Authoritative containing all audio recorded in the Court since October 1955
- Hein Online
- Supreme Court library – landmark cases – links to Oyez
- Shepard’s - for who has cited a case decision in a later case
- Nexis Uni
If you choose a rule or order from the Executive Branch:
- Proquest congressional
- Presidential materials (executive orders, eg)
- Federal Register
-
- 3 entries… notice of prop. Rulemaking, proposed rule, final rule
- Comments are in the proposed rulemaking à open Docket Folder to find everything.
- Look at the action section
- Final rule
- Interim rule (effective immediately but can be changed)
- Direct final rule (effective on a certain date unless comments argue against)
- Left under Public Comments -> links to regulations.gov where the proposed rule gets posted and is open for public comment
- Final Rules are published in the Code of Federal Regulations
- Nexis Uni
Gale Encyclopedia of American Law (2011)
The Oxford Companion to American Politics (2012)
