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Federal Budget: Sources of Information

This guide includes print and electronic resource for those who are interested in the federal budget process, those interested in past budgets, and those wanting to research how the United States government spends its money.

Introduction

From An Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of the United States for the year 1803. Library of Congress General Collections.

Much of this guide is related to finding the current and historical budgets and budget information as published, and includes both print and electronic sources when available. The Background and Basics section is good for beginners though it does provide citations for some of the seminal legislation that changed budget practices. However, for more detailed information about historical budgets and for those who need a better understanding the development of practices over history of the United States, the Understanding the Past section includes sources that provide general historical overview, occasional detailed perspectives when available, and other items that might help researchers understand what was done in the past and how practices have changed over time.

About the Business Section

Part of the Science & Business Reading Room at the Library of Congress, the Business Section is the starting point for conducting research at the Library of Congress in the subject areas of business and economics. Here, reference specialists in specific subject areas of business assist patrons in formulating search strategies and gaining access to the information and materials contained in the Library's rich collections of business and economics materials.