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How Our Laws Are Made

Appendix: Select List of Government Publications

Constitution of the United States of America:

Analysis and Interpretation, with annotations of cases decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 29, 1992; prepared by Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Johnny H. Killian, George A. Costello, co-editors: Senate Document 103-6 (1996).

House Rules and Manual:

Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and Rules of the House of Representatives of the United States, prepared by Charles W. Johnson, Parliamentarian of the House, House Document 104-272 (1997). New editions are published each Congress.

Senate Manual:

Containing the rules, orders, laws, and resolutions affecting the business of the United States Senate; Jefferson's Manual, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution of the United States, etc., prepared under the direction of Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. New editions are published each Congress.

Hinds' and Cannon's Precedents of the House of Representatives:

Including references to provisions of the Constitution, laws, and decisions of the Senate, by Asher C. Hinds. Vols. 1-5 (1907).Vols. 6-8 (1935), as compiled by Clarence Cannon, are supplementary to vols. 1-5 and cover the 28-year period from 1907 to 1935, revised up to and including the 73d Congress. Vols. 9-11 (1941) are index-digest to vols. 1-8.

Deschler-Brown Precedents of the United States House of Representatives:

Including references to provisions of the Constitution and laws, and to decisions of the courts, covering the period from 1928 to date, by Lewis Deschler, J.D., D.J., M.P.L., LL.D., Parliamentarian of the House (1928-1974), Wm. Holmes Brown, Parliamentarian of the House (1974-1994).
Vols. 1-11 have been published, additional volumes in preparation.

Cannon's Procedure in the House of Representatives:

By Clarence Cannon, A.M., LL.B., LL.D., Member of Congress, sometime Parliamentarian of the House, Speaker pro tempore, Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, etc.

House Practice, A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House:

By Wm. Holmes Brown, Parliamentarian of the House (1974-1994)

Procedure in the U.S. House of Representatives, Fourth Edition (1982) (1987 Supp.):

By Lewis Deschler, J.D., D.J., M.P.L., LL.D., Parliamentarian of the House (1928-1974), and Wm. Holmes Brown, Parliamentarian of the House (1974-1994).

Senate Procedure:

By Floyd M. Riddick, Parliamentarian Emeritus of the Senate, Alan S. Frumin, Parliamentarian of the Senate: Senate Document No. 101-28 (1992).

Calendars of the House of Representatives and History of Legislation:

Published each day the House is in session; prepared under the direction of the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Committee Calendars:

Published periodically by most of the standing committees of the House of Representatives and Senate, containing the history of bills and resolutions referred to the particular committee.

Digest of Public General Bills and Resolutions:

A brief synopsis of public bills and resolutions, and changes made therein during the legislative process; prepared by American Law Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Congressional Record:

Proceedings and debates of the House and Senate, published daily, and bound with an index and history of bills and resolutions at the conclusion of each session of the Congress. The record of debates prior to 1874 was published in the Annals of Congress (1789-1824), The Register of Debates (1824-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873).

Journal of the House of Representatives:

Official record of the proceedings of the House, published at the conclusion of each session under the direction of the Clerk of the House.

Journal of the United States Senate:

Official record of the proceedings of the Senate, published at the conclusion of each session under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate.

United States Statutes at Large:

Containing the laws and concurrent resolutions enacted, and reorganization plans and proclamations promulgated during each session of the Congress, published annually under the direction of the Archivist of the United States by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. 20408.
Supplemental volumes: Tables of Laws Affected, Volumes 70-84 (1956-1970), Volumes 85-89 (1971-1975), containing tables of prior laws amended, repealed, or patently affected by provisions of public laws enacted during that period.
Additional parts, containing treaties and international agreements other than treaties, published annually under the direction of the Secretary of State until 1950.

United States Code:

The general and permanent laws of the United States in force on the day preceding the commencement of the session following the last session the legislation of which is included: arranged in 50 titles; prepared under the direction and supervision of the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives. New editions are published every six years and cumulative supplements are published annually.

Federal Register:

Presidential Proclamations, Executive Orders, and federal agency orders, regulations, and notices, and general documents of public applicability and legal effect, published daily. The regulations therein amend the Code of Federal Regulations. Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. 20408.

Code of Federal Regulations:

Cumulates in bound volumes the general and permanent rules and regulations of Federal agencies published in the Federal Register, including Presidential documents. Each volume of the Code is revised at least once each calendar year and issued on a quarterly basis. Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. 20408.

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents:

Containing statements, messages, and other presidential materials released by the White House up to 5:00 p.m. Friday of each week, published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. 20408.

History of the United States House of Representatives:

Prepared by Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, House Document 103-324.

The Senate, 1789-1989, Addresses on the History of the United States Senate, Vol. 1:

by Senator Robert C. Byrd, Senate Document No. 100-20 (1988).

Historical Almanac of the United States Senate:

by Senator Bob Dole, Senate Document No. 100-35 (1989).

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