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US Government Information: Rules and Regulations

Administrative decisions, rules, and regulations

Administrative rules and regulations are issued by government agencies in response to congressional laws. Regulations are published first in the Federal Register and then are incorporated into the Code of Federal Regulations. For more information about the rulemaking process, check out the following:

Federal Register

The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations. It also includes executive orders and other presidential documents.

Code of Federal Regulations

The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) annual edition is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government. It is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation.

Unified Agenda

The Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions is published every spring and fall and announces federal agencies' regulatory plans. Beginning in 2007, the Unified Agenda only includes rulemaking actions with significant economic impact.

Tracking federal regulations

There are quite a few ways to track federal regulations. Some of the resources listed below are official government sites, while others are tools that aggregate information from many sources (including government documents) to allow users to monitor regulatory activities.

Administrative decisions

These resources will direct you to administrative decisions and actions that are outside the scope of the Federal Register and the CFR.

Librarian for Economics and U.S. Government Information

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Gwyneth Crowley
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Contact:
Marx Science and Social Science Library
Kline Tower/Concourse
Office - # C43
203-432-3213