Congressional History, Committees, Members
- Almanac of American PoliticsBeginning in 2024, with the 51st edition, published online by Oxford University Press. Includes profiles of every member of Congress and every governor; narrative descriptions of ALL 50 states and 435 House districts and how they have been changed by redistricting; Analysis of the most recent elections for Senate, House, and governor races, and how those results shape the public policy debates in Congress and the nation; A breakdown of the votes from the most recent presidential election for all states and districts (updated to account for new congressional districts), including primaries; Campaign finance data for all Senators and House members—plus their challengers--in the most recent election, including all-new listings of the “outside money” spent in those contests; Analysis of voter turnout in each state and new congressional districts; state and congressional district maps, the key votes cast by members of the House and Senate, interest group ratings' “Almanac Vote Ratings” on congressional members; and more.
For earlier years, see print editions. - The National Journal Almanac+Almanac+ is a database of contact information and downloadable profiles for policymakers and their staff, at the federal and state level. Select Almanac+ profiles include additional information. The Advanced Search offers identification of legislators and staff by job, focus areas, demographic information and more.
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 -.Biographies of individuals who served in the 1st through the 108th Congresses as well as the Continental Congresses between 1774 and 1789, and all vice presidents,
Supplemented by a historical list of cabinet members and membership rosters of each Congress,"
Also available in print: Olin Library Reference, JK1010 .A5 2005 + - Leadership ConnectSearch and browse directories for government officials (federal, state, and municipal), law and lobbying firms, professional and non-profit organizations, news media, corporations, foreign representatives, financial institutions, accounting firms, and more.
Allows searching and browsing within individual directories or across all 14 directories using single or multiple criteria, such as name, job title, industry, and geographical location.
Downloading is not provided with this subscription. - Congressional Committees, Historical Standing CommitteesDataset
Collectors: Charles Stewart III and Jonathan Woon (MIT)
Records membership on all congressional committees from the 80th to 102nd Congresses. Data file that corresponds with the hard copy version of Nelson's two-volume set Committees in the U.S. Congress, 1947-1992, CQ Press. - Congress and the Nation by Congressional Quarterly, Inc. StaffA volume covering national government and politics from 1945 - 1965,
Each successive edition covers governmental action during a four-year presidential term.
Volumes are organized by major policy issues -- e.g., Economic Policy, Foreign Policy, Defense Policy, etc.-- within each term.
Appendix includes a variety of supplementary materials, such as a glossary of Congressional terms and a chart on key House and Senate votes. - Guide to Congress, by CQ"The core of the book is contained in the first three sections: history; powers; and procedures of the institution. These are followed by more detailed examination of related subjects such as pressures on Congress; pay, housing, qualifications, and ethics of members; and how Congress is elected." [preface]
The Appendix offers a Glossary of Congressional Terms and additional facts and figures on a variety of topics, e.g., The Longest Sessions of Congress; Lame Duck Sessions since 1945; Attempted and Successful Cloture Votes, 1919-1998; the Capitol Floor Plan, and many more. - Presidential Vetoes: 1789-1988 and Supplement 1989- 2000"The purpose of this publication is to provide a comprehensive listing of the Presidential vetoes of legislation enacted by the Congress....It is also intended as an aid in the study of the relationship between the executive and legislative branches of the United States Government and of its system of checks and balances." [preface]
More sources on Congressional History, Committees, Members (print titles)
- Almanac of the UnelectedPrint title.
Holdings back to 1994
"...in-depth profiles of senior Congressional committee staff members, including dozens of new members who have come from law firms, government agencies, and the private sector. The profiles contain professional history and experience, areas of expertise, educational background, specific legislative contributions, current contact information, and a photograph if available." [publisher web site] 
CQ American Congressional Dictionary by Publication Date: 2001Print title.
From Absence of a Quorum to Zone Whip, this handy desk reference volume aides librarians, students, and adults with more than 900 entries... now serves as the official definition guide for CRS experts.
Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments, Proposed Amendments, and Amending Issues, 1789-2002 by Publication Date: 2003Print title.
Essays on amendments, proposed amendments, and related themes, e.g., Major Constitutional Reforms Introduced Outside Congress, Influential Individuals, Influential Organizations, Supreme Court Decisions, and Unresolved Issues. Most articles include a list of suggested further readings.
Appendices include dates amendments were proposed and ratified, number of amendments by decade, most popular amending proposals by year & key events, and more.
The Encyclopedia of the United States Congress by Publication Date: 1995Print title.
This four-volume study of the history, members, and structure of the US Congress includes more than 1000 signed, original articles and 900 photographs, maps, charts, and illustrations. More than 500 leading academics and professionals from a range of disciplines have contributed articles on aspects of America's legislature in a manner that should be easily accessible to the scholar.
The Historical Atlas of State Power in Congress, 1790-1990 by Publication Date: 1993Print title.
Maps apportionment changes from 1790 - 1990 for each state.
Part 1 provides a historical overview of Congressional apportionment, including tables detailing the number of representatives apportioned, percentage of gains and losses, and gains and losses of proportional power following each decennial census;
Part 2 provides a more detailed analysis of census apportionment, organized by census year;
Part 3 offers additional geographical analysis, e.g. Original and New States: 1790-1850 Apportionments, Free and Slave States: 1790-1860, Rural and Urban Places: 1870-1930, and Sunbelt and Snowbelt: 1970 - 1990.
Committees in the U. S. Congress by Publication Date: 2010-08-09Print titles.
Three editions; 1789-1946,1947-1992, and 1993-2010.
Encyclopedia of the American Legislative System by Publication Date: 1994Print title.
Contributors include historians and political scientists.
The American legislative system in historical context; legislative recruitment, personnel, and elections; legislative structures and process; legislative behavior; legislatures and public policy; and legislatures within the political system.
Directory of Congressional Voting Scores and Interest Group Ratings by Publication Date: 2005Print title.
Voting scores and interest group ratings covering every member of Congress since the beginning of the 80th Congress in 1947.*
*Some of the rating categories are not available in this compilation until about the mid-1950s. Members are scored in support of or opposition to the "Conservative Coalition" position, in support of or opposition to their party, and in support of or opposition to the president. A fourth category, Voting Participation, represents the percentage of recorded votes on which a member voted 'yea' or 'nay'.
Congressional procedures
Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process by Publication Date: 2013Print title.
The Congressional budget process, Preliminary legislative action, Scheduling legislation in the House, House floor procedure, Scheduling legislation in the Senate, Senate floor procedure, Resolving House-Senate differences, Legislative oversight.- Congressional DeskbookPrint title.
Reference Sources on Legislation
- CQ AlmanacAnnual summary of legislation, pointing to relevant bills, reports, and amendments. Includes key votes, roll call votes and vote studies. Highly recommended as a starting point for legislative research! Also available in print: Olin Library Reference, JK1 .C66 +
- CQ Weekly, 1998 - .Articles summarize the work of the U.S. Congress, including the status of bills, votes and amendments, floor and committee activity, backroom maneuvering, etc.
CQ Weekly, 1993-2015 (print)
Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, 1956-1998 (print). - GovTrack"We publish the status of federal legislation, information about your representative and senators in Congress including voting records, and original research on legislation. We’re one of the oldest government transparency websites in the world." See: About GovTrack.us
- OpenSecrets (Center for Responsive Politics)Campaign contributions at the federal and state levels, by candidate and donor. Also includes information about PACs, lobbyists, and Congressional committees.