The Federal Legislative Process How a bill becomes a law and the publications that are produced in the process

ActionPublicationLocating publication Bill is introduced into the House or Senate and assigned to a committee BillProquest Congressional 1989-present 101st (1989) – present (Present Congress is 112 th ) Available on microfiche from many depository libraries. WSL has a number of years of bills on microfiche may be available through some depositories. Otherwise, only available through the Library of Congress. Amendments are often printed in the Congressional Record when the amendment is under discussion. Pre 1938 Only available through the Library of Congress. Amendments are often printed in the Congressional Record when the amendment is under discussion.

ActionPublicationLocating publication Committee may hold hearing(s) on bill HearingsProquest Congressional includes hearings 1989 (101st) – present (Present Congress is 112 th ) Reference by Committee in Thomas (93 rd Congress) (101 st ) Cited in Legislative History of Bill. Available in print/microform through many Federal Depository Libraries Pre (93 rd Congress) Index of Congressional Committee Hearings (Multi- volume set) Pre-1935 through 1980 ( Y 1.3: H35/2)

ActionPublicationLocating publication Committee may publish report on bill giving background and recommendations when the bill is sent on to the full House or Senate. House and Senate Reports Proquest Congressional includes House and Senate Reports (93 rd Congress) – present (Present Congress is 112 th ) House and Senate Report numbers given in Thomas’ bill information; found in Serial Set Full text available through Thomas for 1989-present Pre (93 rd Congress) Serial Set. The Congressional Record Index includes a section ("History of Bills and Resolutions“) listing House and Senate Bill Numbers and their status. It includes the House and Senate Report numbers.

ActionPublicationLocating publication The chamber debates, amends and passes the bill. Congressional Record (Daily and Bound Editions) Proquest Congressional includes both editions of Congressional Record (93 rd Congress) – present (Present Congress is 112 th ) Page numbers given in Thomas’ bill information; Full text available through Thomas for present; Congressional Record, bound edition available at WSL Pre (93 rd Congress) Congressional Record, bound edition available at WSL. The index includes the pages in Congressional Record on which any debate about the bill is printed

ActionPublicationLocating publication After the bill is passed (engrossed) in one chamber it is sent on to the next chamber and the process repeated in that chamber. Thus, for each bill there can be House and Senate Hearings, House and Senate Reports and House and Senate Debates. If the bill is agreed to by both chambers, it is sent on to the president for his signature. If each chamber approves a different version, a conference committee is formed. A conference report can be issued from this committee. Conference ReportProquest Congressional includes Conference Reports (93 rd Congress) – present (Present Congress is 112 th ) House and Senate Report numbers given in Thomas’ bill information; found in Serial Set. Full text available through Thomas for 1989-present Pre (93 rd Congress) Serial Set. The Congressional Record Index includes a section ("History of Bills and Resolutions“) listing House and Senate Bill Numbers and their status. It includes the House and Senate Conference Report numbers

There was not a separate Senate Report nor a Conference Report for this bill. It was considered in the Senate and passed, as recorded in the Congressional Record.

ActionPublicationLocating publication Once the bill is passed by both chambers, it becomes an Enrolled Act. It is then sent to the President who can sign or veto it. Slip Law1989 (101st Congress) – present (Present Congress is 112 th ) Slip Laws are sometimes published as one of the Bill Versions in Thomas. Pre 1989 (101st) From 1973-present Slip Laws are distributed to Federal Depository Libraries but once the Public Law is received in the format of the U.S. Statutes, depositories are allowed to dispose of the Slip Law.

ActionPublicationLocating publication If the President signs the bill, it becomes a Public Law. Beginning in 1908, each Public Law was assigned a number that begins with the Session Number and ends with a number related to the bill’s order of passage. eg. PL Public Laws are compiled and published in the U.S. Statutes at Large. They receive a Statute Number that begins with a volume number and ends with the first page of the Public Law in the volume. Public Law U.S. Statutes at Large Proquest Congressional 1989-present 1989 (101st) – present (Present Congress is 112 th ) The link to the Public Law is available through Thomas. Pre 1989 (101st) Only available in the U.S. Statutes at Large The Wyoming State Law Library has the complete bound version of the U.S. Statutes at Large. Volume 1(1 st Congress 1789)- 18 (43 rd Congress 1875) are available online through the Library of Congress ( nk.html) nk.html Volume 65 (82 nd Congress 1951-present are available through GPO ( action?collectionCode=GPO&browsePath=Uni ted+States+Statutes+at+Large+%28Digitized% 29&isCollapsed=false&leafLevelBrowse=false& ycord=241) action?collectionCode=GPO&browsePath=Uni ted+States+Statutes+at+Large+%28Digitized% 29&isCollapsed=false&leafLevelBrowse=false& ycord=241 They are also available in Hein Online

Locating the Legislative History of a Bill

(93 rd Congress) – present (Present Congress is 112 th ) Listed in Thomas

1975 – present Listed at the end of the Public Law in the U.S. Statutes at Large

1873 – present The bound edition of "Congressional Record Index", particularly its accompanying "History of Bills and Resolutions". The index and history of House and Senate bills has been produced for each congressional session since the Congressional Record began in The bound edition is only available through Hein Online, Proquest Congressional or in paper at WSL

Summary Sheet for the Legislative History of a Bill Bill Number _________H.R. 708____________________________(Remember to note which Chamber) Hearing Date(s) _July 22, 1997__________________________________________________________ Report Number (House) _____House Report _____________________________________ Report Number (Senate) ____NA___________________________________________________ Report Number (Conference) __NA_________________________________________________ Congressional Record Debate Page Numbers: Public Law Number ______105-81_________________ Statute Number ________111 STAT 1537______________

Summary Sheet for the Legislative History of a Bill Bill Number _____________________________________(Remember to note which Chamber) Hearing Number ________________________________________________________________ Report Number (House) __________________________________________________________ Report Number (Senate) _________________________________________________________ Report Number (Conference) _____________________________________________________ Congressional Record Debate Page Numbers ________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Public Law Number _____________________________________________________________ Statute Number ________________________________________________________________