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U.S. Legislative Process: Bills

This guide provides access to the documents processed in the legislative process in the U.S.

Bills

Bills are proposed for the enactment of new legislation or the amendment of existing laws.  They are numbered consecutively from the beginning of each Congress.  The first bill introduced in the House of Representatives is H.R. 1 and in the Senate S.1. The four principal forms of Congressional actions are billsjoint resolutionsconcurrent resolutions, and simple resolutions. After a bill or resolution is introduced, it is assigned a bill or legislative number, printed and referred to a committee. For more detailed explanations of the four principal forms of legislation go to the Bills & Resolutions section of House.gov

Online Versions

Print/Microform Versions

All bills from August 1979 - present (96th Congress, 1st session) are available in microfiche.  Bills on fiche are arranged by Congress and session, and then by SuDoc number.  Earlier bills are available on microprint [LIBRA storage: Microprint #5]. Documents in the microprint collection are arranged by Monthly Catalog number.  Requests from LIBRA of these hearings need to include reference to "Microprint #5" and the relevant MoCat number.


Arrangement of bills on microfiche is by Congress, then by SuDoc number:
    Y 1.4/1: Congress -(nos)    Senate Bills (S.) 
    Y 1.4/2: Congress -(nos)    Senate Resolutions  (S.Res.)
    Y 1.4/3: Congress -(nos)    Senate Joint Resolution (S.J.Res.)
    Y 1.4/4: Congress -(nos)    Senate Concurrent Resolutions (S. Con.Res.)
    Y 1.4/6: Congress -(nos)    House Bills (H.R.)
    Y 1.4/7: Congress -(nos)    House Resolutions (H.Res.)
    Y 1.4/8: Congress -(nos)    House Joint Resolutions (H.J.Res)
    Y 1.4/9: Congress -(nos)    House Concurrent Resolutions  (H.Con.Res.)

Digest of Public General Bills and Resolutions

Van Pelt Library: J52 .A3

74th Cong.(1936)-101st Cong. (1989)

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