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United States Government Information


 

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GPO Access
Free Website: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/
Provides free online access to the official published versions of United States government publications. It includes regulations, United States laws, administrative decisions, the Core Documents of U.S. Democracy, and judicial, legislative, and executive documents. Dates of coverage vary. Updated frequently. GPO Access Training Manual available online. Also provides access to the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications, which provides bibliographic records of U.S. government information products since 1976.

Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP)
Free Website: http://catalog.gpo.gov/
CGP is the finding tool for electronic and print publications from the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the U.S. government. It contains more than 500.000 descriptive records for historical and current publications generated since July 1976 and provides direct links to those that are available online. Updated daily.

DARTS (Depository Access to Reports, Technical and Scientific) / NTIS Pilot Project (Federal Depository Database)
Provides access to the full text of over 240,000 online National Technical Information Service (NTIS) reports from 1964-2000. Includes technical reports from a wide variety of sciences, including physics, chemistry, environmental science, and health and behavioral sciences. Access Restrictions: Free at UTSA Library, a Federal Depository Library, as a pilot project between NTIS and GPO. Access is restricted to users within the library. Patrons must be logged on by a Reference staff member. Ask at the JPL or Downtown Reference desks for assistance. Access is not available from off-campus locations. Full Image

GPO Monthly Catalog (UTSA Subscription)
Indexes U. S. Government documents from July 1976 to the present including Congressional reports, hearings, and debates; judiciary materials; and documents issued by executive departments. Citations only

CQ Electronic Library (UTSA Subscription)
Provides access to reference resources on topics in American government, politics, history, public policy, and current affairs. Includes the CQ Congress, Public Affairs, Voting and Elections, and Supreme Court collections, as well as Encyclopedia of American Government. Also includes CQ Political Reference Suite titles: Congress and the Nation, Political Handbook of the World, Historic Documents Series, Washington Information Directory, and Politics in America. Collections may contain dictionary or encyclopedia entries, image galleries, and maps in addition to full text. Full Text/Full Image

USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal
Free Website: http://www.usa.gov/
USA.gov (formerly FirstGov) gives the public easy access to millions of pages of government information and services from federal, states, local, tribal and international sources. Use the search engine to do full-text searches of government websites or browse by topic. Includes a monthly list of featured subjects, links to frequently-used forms, and contacts for people in government.

students.gov
Free Website: http://www.students.gov/
Similar to USA.gov, students.gov is a gateway to government information created especially for students. It includes a search engine, but also links to information that students frequently need. Includes links to information on education, financial aid, careers, taxes, and much more.

FedWorld
Free Website: http://www.fedworld.gov/
FedWorld is an extensive, annotated subject index to federal government web sites and a central directory of electronic government information created by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). It allows users to search for items in twenty different databases, several of which include the full text of documents. Also allows searching throughout the web for government, technical, and business information.

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General Information

American Government Leaders: Major Elected and Appointed Officials, Federal, State and Local, 1776-2005
Location: JPL Reference E176 .L5 2006
This book provides basic biographical information for the thousands of individuals who have held high elective and appointive offices in the United States federal, state, and municipal governments since 1776. It includes executive, legislative and judicial offices, including cabinet posts, diplomatic corp, high ranking military positions, congressional officers, and mayors of over 150 major cities.

University of Michigan's Document Center
Free Website: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/
This award winning site is one of the most comprehensive sites of government information. It includes links to information about federal, state, and international documents.

University of Texas at Austin Government Information
Free Website: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/government/
Includes links to information about federal, state, and international documents.

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Executive (Presidential) Information

The White House
Free Website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/
This is the official website for George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States of America. It includes many of his speeches, remarks, and radio addresses. Also includes news, history of the presidency, and information about Vice-President Cheney. Updated frequently.

Official US Executive Branch Websites
Free Website: http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/fedgov.html
Includes links to official webpages of agencies that are in the executive branch of the government. Not necessarily comprehensive.

Digital National Security Archive (UTSA Subscription)
Provides an exhaustive collection of primary documents relating to U.S. foreign and military policy initiatives since 1945, culled from holdings of the National Security Archive obtained through the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Full Text

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Judicial Information

The Federal Judiciary Homepage
Free Website: http://www.uscourts.gov
Provides both current and historical information about the United States Federal Judiciary. It includes links to publications, directories, and news. Also contains a special section for educators.

Federal Judicial Center
Free Website: http://www.fjc.gov/
Created by Congress in 1967, the FJC is the research and education agency for the federal courts. Site contains the results of research on federal court operations and procedures, court history, and biographies of federal judges back to 1789.

Legal Research Subject Guide
Free Website: http://www.lib.utsa.edu/Research/Subject/legalresearchguide.html
This subject guide lists selected legal resources available at the UTSA Library in order to help you begin the legal research process.

Criminal Justice Subject Guide
Free Website: http://www.lib.utsa.edu/Research/Subject/criminaljusticeguide.html
This subject guide includes various sources available at the UTSA Library that can be used for the study of criminal justice.

Court Cases Subject Guide
Free Website: http://www.lib.utsa.edu/Research/Subject/casesguide.html
This subject guide will provide advice for those trying to find local and federal court cases at the UTSA Library.

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Legislative (Congressional) Information

Congressional Resources at the UTSA Library (pdf)
Free PDF: http://www.lib.utsa.edu/Research/Govdocs/congressionalsummary.pdf
Comprehensive summary of print, microfiche, electronic and internet resources for U.S. Congressional information available at the UTSA Library. Resources are listed by topic and title. Want to know sources for voting statistics, bill tracking, Congressional Record or the Serial Set? Check here.

Congressional Publications Subject Guide
Free Website: http://www.lib.utsa.edu/Research/Subject/cisguide.html
Subject guide to assist finding congressional information at the UTSA Library in any of its many forms (hearings, reports, committee prints, etc.) and formats (print, microfiche, subscription database or free website).

Congressional Universe (LexisNexis Congressional) (UTSA Subscription)
Provides access to information including congressional publications; bill tracking and full text of bills; legislative history; federal regulations; and member affiliations, demographic, financial, and voting records. Full Text

United States Code (USC)
Location: JPL Reference Stacks KF62 (2000 ed.) (Titles 1-50, Tables, General Index, Supplements)
Official version of all general and permanent federal laws in force. Public Laws are arranged under fifty “titles” or subject categories. Does not summarize legislative history but cites Statutes at Large. Older editions available.

United States House of Representatives
Free Website: http://www.house.gov/
This is the official website of the United States House of Representatives. It provides information about weekly and daily events in the House. Also includes the annual congressional schedule and the House Committee Hearing schedules.

United States Senate
Free Website: http://www.senate.gov/
This is the official website of the United States Senate. It includes a schedule of daily events and a committee hearing schedule. Also includes information about the activities of the previous day and allows access to the roll call vote. Some historical information is included. Updated frequently when the Senate is in session.

Thomas
Free Website: http://thomas.loc.gov/
The leadership of the 104th Congress (1995) directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public. Provides searchable information about the U.S. Congress. It includes the Congressional Record and Bill Text from the 101st to the 109th session and Committee Reports from the 104th to the 109th session. Allows access to roll call votes and to information about both House and Senate Committees. Includes some historical information and explanation of the legislative process.

Thomas Legislative Branch Internet Resources
Free Website: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/legbranch/legbranch.html
This site includes links to several sites that would be helpful to those doing legislative research. Includes links to partisan congressional sites, news and new services, governmental publications, and more. Also includes links to the U.S. Congress and other legislative branch websites.

United States Congress
Free Website: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/index.html
This website allows users to access databases to search for Congressional publications. Includes items such as the History of Line Item Veto Notices, Public Laws (104th - 109th session), and Congressional Committee Prints. Dates of coverage vary.

US Congressional Bibliographies
Free Website: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/congbibs/
John A. McGeachy of North Carolina State University created this site which contains a comprehensive list of hearings and publications of the United States Senate since 1983. The site also includes lists of House Committee Meetings recorded in the Congressional Record's Daily Digest, 1985-present.

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Statistical Information

FedStats
Free Website: http://www.fedstats.gov/
This site is a gateway to statistical information from over one hundred government agencies. Browse by topic, search for statistics, or search by over seventy government agencies that publish statistics. Includes geographic statistics.

Statistical Universe (LexisNexis Statistical) (UTSA subscription)
Provides access to statistical information produced by the U.S. government, major international intergovernmental organizations, professional and trade organizations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations, state government agencies, and universities. Includes indexing/abstracting and tabular data from 1973 to the present. Significant full text content from 1995 to present. All documents are available on microfiche; inquire at the Reference desk for assistance. Online version of American Statistics Index, Statistical Reference Index, and Index to International Statistics. Tipsheet   Full Text

STAT-USA (UTSA subscription)
U.S. Department of Commerce site for economic data, international trade data, and government publications such as the Commerce Business Daily and Country Reports. "Country Commercial Guides" are useful. Full Text

Statistical Abstract of the United States
Location: JPL Reference Desk & Downtown Library, Reference HA202 .B8; older editions in JPL Stacks
Free Website: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
Summarizes statistical data from a wide variety of government agencies in over 1,500 tables. Check original sources of data for more detailed information. Index refers to table numbers and not page numbers. Excellent starting place for U.S. statistics. Statistical Abstract is available online from 1878 to the current year. Tables are now also available in Excel format.

United States Census Bureau
Free Website: http://www.census.gov/
Information and statistics about United States people, geography, business, and more. Includes the American FactFinder, a quick way to search for statistics. Can be browsed by topic or searched. Also includes links to related sites. Updated frequently.

Heritage Quest (via ProQuest) (UTSA subscription)
Provides a collection of research materials for tracing family history and American culture. Includes full-image documents and indexes from the U.S. Federal Census, 1790-1930, as well as full-text documents from more than 25,000 works of local and family histories,.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Free Website: http://stats.bls.gov/
This site includes information about the U.S. economy. It is especially focused on labor statistics and includes information on employment, worker safety, worker productivity, and more. Also provides a view of the economy and provides snapshots of the latest numbers on the front page.

The World Factbook
Location: JPL Reference Stacks G122 .U56
Free Website: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook
Published by the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). Profiles of countries from around the world. Includes geographic, demographic, military, economy, and government information. Updated yearly.

Uniform Crime Reports
Free Website: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm
This site, created by the FBI, includes full text of the crime reports back to 1995. It includes Crime in the United States, Hate Crime Statistics, and Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted. Updated yearly.

The Green Book
Free Website: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/wmprints/green/index.html
Social and economic statistics prepared by the Committee on Ways and Means. It includes topics such as employment, earnings, welfare, child support, health insurance, the elderly, families with children, poverty and taxation. Older editions available on CIS microfiche. Search UCAT: Overview of Entitlement Programs. Updated every two years.

The Beige Book
Free Website: http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/bb/index.cfm
This book compiles evidence of current economic conditions in the United States. The information provided is gathered by each federal reserve bank and displayed by district and section. Available from 1970 to the present. Prior to 1983 it was known as the "red book ". Updated yearly.

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This library is a Congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government Documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law. (Title 44 United States Code)

Government Documents Coordinator:

Rita Wilson
Email: rita.wilson@utsa.edu
Phone: (210) 458-7572
Fax: (210) 458-6660

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