As part of the November HeinOnline release, Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories has been updated with a substantial addition of new editorial content.

As a fully searchable HeinOnline database, Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories offers access to authoritative secondary sources, with content continuously updated as new legislative histories become available, ensuring researchers always have a reliable starting point for in-depth legislative history research.

This update expands the database with 79 newly identified sources covering 36 federal laws, all enacted during the 114th Congress. The newly added materials include law review articles, Congressional Research Service reports, and expert analyses that help researchers better understand the background, development, and legislative intent behind these statutes.

Rather than reproducing legislative histories themselves, Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories points researchers to authoritative secondary sources that analyze a law’s enactment, amendments, congressional debate, and policy context, making it a valuable starting point for legislative history research.

What’s New

New sources were added across a range of subject areas, touching on many different aspects of federal law. The updates are organized by topic below for easier browsing.

About Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories

Legislative histories bring together the documents Congress produces as a law takes shape, including committee reports, hearings, debates, and related analyses that function as the law’s “working papers.” For legal professionals and researchers, these materials are essential for uncovering legislative intent and clarifying statutory meaning when the text alone raises questions.

Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories was created by the late law librarian Nancy P. Johnson and is now maintained by professional law librarians Austin Williams and Jenna Fegreus. The resource is thoughtfully organized to help researchers quickly identify relevant materials, grouping legislative histories by compilations, topical arrangements, and major federal laws. An Author-Title Index and Public Law Index further streamline discovery.

Using the Database

Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories can be found in Heinonline’s Found within HeinOnline’s U.S. Federal Legislative History database. 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 wanted to see what is available for the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016 (Pub. L. 114-308), select the 114th 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 to 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.

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.

Learn More and Get Started

Whether you’re new to legislative history research or looking for a more efficient starting point, Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories offers a pathway into understanding federal law. With expert-selected secondary sources, thoughtful organization, and continuous updates, the database helps researchers move from statutory text to legislative context with confidence.

For guidance on legislative history research in HeinOnline, including tips, examples, and coverage of both the U.S. Federal Legislative History Library and Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories, explore our dedicated LibGuide below.