Strategies for Finding Government Information

NATIONAL LEGISLATION

Search broad subject areas and issues in CQ Researcher.

Search CQ Weekly by keyword or bill number to read about current legislation before Congress.  Remember, if an introduced bill does not become law, it may be introduced again in a new session of Congress but it will have a new number.  Use keywords and bill name to trace legislation from one session of Congress to another.

Search Thomas by bill number or popular name of a bill for up-to-the-minute status of legislation.  Once legislation is passed, it becomes law and is assigned a Public Law number.  Thomas will keep track of all number changes.

Use Lexis-Nexis to find newspaper coverage of legislation and the surrounding issues.

STATE LEGISLATION

Search Newspaper Source Plus or Lexis-Nexis for (legislation AND state name) to see current issues that face that state.  Then go to the state legislation page to get the latest news on where the legislation stands.

Research Resources, Uncategorized