Since the release of the 4th edition of Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories: A Bibliography of Government Documents, Periodical Articles, and Books, 1st Congress–114th Congress in 2018, the online database has been updated with over 370 new sources, offering enhanced coverage of recent laws. These updates make the resource even more crucial for legislative research. With ongoing online updates and a forthcoming print edition, it continues to be an essential tool for librarians, attorneys, government professionals, students, and researchers.
What’s New
While you may not have noticed, these updates have significantly expanded the coverage of legislative histories. Recently, some of the latest sources include content from the 114th Congress, including summaries of each Act:
About Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories
Legislative histories are collections of documents produced by Congress during the enactment of a law, serving as the “working papers” behind the statutory language. Legal professionals and researchers rely on these materials to uncover legislative intent and resolve ambiguities.
This resource was originally created by the late law librarian Nancy P. Johnson and is now updated by professional law librarians Austin Williams and Jenna Fegreus. The latest edition organizes its content into two types of legislative histories: commercial sources and topical arrangements, as well as a comprehensive collection of histories for major laws. It also includes an Author-Title Index and a Public Law Index for streamlined navigation.
The fully searchable database makes it easier than ever to access this information, with online content continuously updated to reflect new legislative histories.
Using the Database
The Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories Database can be found in HeinOnline’s U.S. Federal Legislative History Library.
Using this database, users can search by Bill Number, Congress, Related Document Title, Popular Name or Public Law, Public Law Number, or by the Title of the Public Law. Additionally, users can also browse by Congress or public law titles.
For example, if you need to know what is available for P.L. 103-322 (the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994), select the 103rd Congress. Next, either scroll to find the name of the act listed alphabetically or use your CTRL-F function to search for either the name or public law number.
Click the title of the act, and you will see a list of available relevant material for this public law. Users can view articles that cite the act, the act in the U.S. Statutes at Large, and a list of legislative histories that have been compiled for the act. Anything available in HeinOnline will be hyperlinked.
About the Editors
Jenna E. Fegreus is a Senior Legal Information Librarian at Boston University School of Law and teaches legal research classes. Before joining the Boston University staff, Jenna had experience working as a library assistant and special projects cataloger at the Social Law Library, as a judicial intern at both the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Land Court, and as a legal intern at former Massachusetts Governor Patrick’s Office of Policy and Cabinet Affairs, among others. She holds a BA from Providence College, a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Simmons College, and a JD from Northeastern University School of Law. Jenna is currently serving as the Vice President/President-Elect of the Association of Boston Law Librarians (ABLL).
Austin Martin Williams is the Director of the Law Library and a Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center. He previously served as both the Interim Director and Deputy Director of the Georgetown University Law Library. Before joining Georgetown, he served as the Assistant Law Library Director at North Carolina Central University School of Law. While at NCCU, he also co-taught Law Practice Technology, served as an advisor for the North Carolina Central University Science & Intellectual Property Law Review, and represented the School of Law on the university’s Research & Grants Strategic Planning Committee. Before joining NCCU, Professor Williams worked at Georgia State University College of Law, where he served as the Coordinator of Research Instructional Services and taught two courses, Research Methods in Law and Georgia Legal Research.
NOTE: Subject-specific legislative histories may only be available in their corresponding HeinOnline collections. Legislative histories are also available in Taxation & Economic Reform in America Parts I & II, History of Bankruptcy: Taxation & Economic Reform in America Part II, American Indian Law Collection, Intellectual Property Law Collection, Immigration Law & Policy in the U.S., and U.S. International Trade Library.
If you need help navigating the Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories Database, contact our dedicated support team at 800-277-6995 or email us at holsupport@wshein.com.
