For in-depth recommendations on finding government information...
...check out this guide to U.S. federal government information.
General suggestions for finding government information
1. Try the "agency approach." Who produces the information you need? How is this information organized and disseminated? If you can answer these questions, you can create a much more targeted, focused search.
2. Google like a pro. To limit your Google search to government websites, use the very powerful "site:" search. You can search all .gov websites (site:gov) or narrow your search to a particular agency's website (site:cdc.gov).
General resources for U.S. government information
- Quicksearch I edited this description
- Govinfo (U.S. Federal Digital System) FDsys, the Federal Digital System from the Government Printing Office (GPO), provides online access to official publications from all three branches of the U.S. federal government, including the federal budget, congressional documents, the U.S. Code, and more. Coverage will vary by collection, but many publications are available in full text back to the 1990s.
- ProQuest Congressional Full-text access to Congressional documents including bills, hearings, the Congressional Record, the Serial Set, and more.
- Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (1976-present) The CGP is a finding tool for electronic and print publications from all branches of the federal government. It's a good way to find citations to documents that aren't in Yale's government documents collection, but could be requested through interlibrary loan.
- Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications, 1895-1976 The Monthly Catalog is the predecessor of the CGP. This database acts as an index to historical government documents; while it doesn't include full text, it can help you find citations to documents that you can then search for in Orbis or other library catalogs.
Resources for legislation and Congressional information
Federal regulations
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.
Three different .gov sites presenting Federal Register information:
Federal Register: unofficial XML-based prototype of the daily Federal Register, organized and displayed in an easier to read format. Includes web tools and user aids designed to make it easier to understand and participate in the regulatory process.
Regulations.gov Find, review, and submit comments on Federal documents that are open for comment and published in the Federal Register.
Federal Register (official version, 1994-current, Government Printing Office)
For more in-depth information about regulatory research, please see this guide to "Rules and Regulations".
Track legislation, regulations, and more
These resources provide quick, easy access to federal and/or state legislative information, and encourage users to keep up with politics and policy through convenient tracking tools.
Best Bets
- Congress.govTrack federal bills and view other sources of information from Congress, including the daily Congressional Record.
- Open StatesEnter a U.S. address or select a state to research bills, view voting records, contact elected officials, and more.
- Sunlight Foundation PolicyTrack federal actions and policy analysis
- LegiStorm.Track legislation, read policy reports, explore state by state representation
Additional State Tracking
- billtrack50Sign up for an account to build your own search to see a short summary of results, and then click to see the full bill text, action history, voting records, plus sponsors and detailed contact information for all legislators. Additional tools available at cost.
- LegiscanSign up for an account to track home state and federal bills, has a free API... Additional tools available at cost
- NCSL 50 State DatabaseThe National Conference for State Legislatures provides 50 state analysis/documents by topic here..