Government Information
Federal Depository Library Program
UMass Amherst is a member of the Federal Depository Library Program, providing free access to government information.
Law and Public Policy Librarian
United States Government Manual
The United States Government Manual is the official handbook that describes the activities and programs of the three branches of the federal government (executive, legislative, and judicial), agencies and quasi-official agencies, and international organizations of which the U.S. is a member. The manual includes descriptions and organizational charts of each component, and identifies key employees. It is updated annual as a special edition of the Federal Register.
Quick start
CRS Reports are created by the Congressional Research Service as summaries of a variety of topics relevant to law-making activities. They can be helpful as they often outline the history of legislation surrounding a topic. Lengths of the reports can vary from a couple of pages to an in-depth report.
- ProQuest Legislative and Executive Publications This link opens in a new window
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Subscription database including CRS Reports with advanced search functions. Reports in this database go up to approximately 2006. (Note that to search only CRS reports, you must deselect all other types of documents on the left hand side of the page.) - CRS Reports This link opens in a new window
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Reports by the public policy research arm of the U. S. Congress on current issues and their legal and legislative status, 1970-present. Library doesn't subscribe to tabbed extras like Bills, Memebers & Votes, etc.
- Congressional Research Service Reports (University of North Texas)UNT provides free access to CRS Reports, browsable by topic.
- EveryCRSReportReports up to the present time.
GAO Reports are produced by the Government Accountability Office. The GAO is a government "watchdog" that investigates how agencies spend tax dollars.
- GAO Reports and TestimoniesCan browse by agency, topic, or date.
Major databases
- Catalog of U.S. Government Publications"The CGP is the finding tool for federal publications that includes descriptive information for historical and current publications as well as direct links to the full document, when available. Users can search by authoring agency, title, subject, and general keywords, or click on "Advanced Search" for more options."
- United States CongressHere you can access legislation, bills, committee reports, and find representatives.
- Declassified Documents Reference Service This link opens in a new window
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78,000 government documents declassified by the 1967 Freedom of Information Act. - Digital National Security Archive This link opens in a new window
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Declassified documents of the NSA and predecessor agencies, 1882-present.
- GovInfoThis site is the source for free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
- GovSearch This link opens in a new window
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A directory of federal, state, municipal and county government personnel, officials, offices and programs.
- Metalib GPOSearch multiple U.S. government databases at the same time.
- ProQuest Legislative and Executive Publications This link opens in a new window
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Hearings, bills, laws and legislative histories, committee prints, Congressional Research Service reports, Congressional Record and predecessors, Executive Branch docs to 1939, and the Serial Set.
