The Congressional Record (and its predecessors)

Harris & Ewing, photographer. *Congressional record has face lifted* Jan. 4, 1939. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873, and is still published today.

Note: Debates for sessions prior to 1873 are recorded in The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (1789-1824), the Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873). These can be accessed through A Century of Lawmaking For a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates.

Learn more about the Congressional Record at govinfo

Subscription Databases for Finding the Congressional Record Online

The subscription resources marked with a padlock are available to researchers on-site at the Library of Congress. If you are unable to visit the Library, you may be able to access these resources through your local public or academic library.

U.S. Documents Masterfile: 1774-2021 External This link opens in a new window
Public Documents Masterfile is a comprehensive index of federal, state, local, and some international public documents, spanning over 200 years of publication. The database provides searching across millions of records using: Titles; Authors; Subjects; SuDocs numbers; Publication dates; Index terms; Monthly Catalog entry numbers; and Microfilm locations.
Coverage: 18th century to 2016
HeinOnline U.S. Congressional Documents Library External This link opens in a new window
This collection features the complete Congressional Record bound volume set from its inception in 1873 as well as the three predecessor titles: Annals of Congress (1789-1824), Register of Debates (1824-1837) and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873). Also available are the Congressional Record Dailies from 1994-current, as well as the precedents of the House of Representatives from the 1st-94th Congresses, known as Cannon’s, Hind’s and Deschler’s Precedents.
Coverage: 18th century to present
ProQuest Congressional External This link opens in a new window
Explore government in action with the most comprehensive web-based resource available for congressional hearings, public issues, legislation, history, and legal research. (Please note the two sections: "Congressional Record Only" and "Daily Congressional Record and Rules")
Coverage: 18th century to present
ProQuest Legislative Insight External This link opens in a new window
ProQuest® Legislative Insight is a Federal legislative history service that makes available thoroughly researched compilations of digital full text publications created by Congress during the process leading up to the enactment of U.S. Public Laws.
Once you retrieve a legislative history you will see the option to view the full text of the related Congressional Record.

Free Resources for Finding the Congressional Record Online

A Century of Lawmaking

Beginning with the Continental Congress in 1774, America's national legislative bodies have kept records of their proceedings. The records of the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention, and the United States Congress make up a rich documentary history of the construction of the nation and the development of the federal government and its role in the national life. These documents record American history in the words of those who built our government.
• Annals of Congress (1789-1824)
• Register of Debates (1824-1837)
• Congressional Globe (1833-1873)
• Congressional Record (1873 -1875)
Coverage: First Continental Congress-44th Congress, 1789-1875
Congress.gov

Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information. The site provides access to accurate, timely, and complete legislative information for Members of Congress, legislative agencies, and the public. It is presented by the Library of Congress (LOC) using data from the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Office of the Secretary of the Senate, the Government Publishing Office, Congressional Budget Office, and the LOC's Congressional Research Service.
Coverage: 104th Congress, 1995 to present
govinfo: Congressional Record (Bound Edition)

govinfo is a service of the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO), which is a Federal agency in the legislative branch. It provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
Coverage: 43rd Congress-114th Congress, 1873-2016
govinfo: Congressional Record (Daily Edition)

govinfo is a service of the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO), which is a Federal agency in the legislative branch. It provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
Coverage: 103rd Congress-, 1994 to present

Print Materials for Finding the Congressional Record

The following resource links to fuller bibliographic information about the item in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. This resource may also be available at other public and academic libraries.

Congressional record : proceedings and debates of the ... Congress. by United States. Congress.
Call Number: KF35
Published/Created: 1874-
Available in the following Library of Congress Research Centers:
Law Library Coverage: complete run in stacks
Main Reading Room Coverage: 67th Congress-111th Congress, 1921-2009
Newspaper & Current Periodical Research Center Coverage: daily and indexes for latest calendar year

The Government Depository Collection at the Library of Congress

The Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room keeps the latest ten years of U.S. Government Documents in print or on microfiche as part of the U.S. Federal Government Depository Collection. A SuDoc number is necessary in order to request these. GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications can help you find the SuDoc numbers.

Visit the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room

Supplemental Resources

History of Bills - govinfo

govinfo is a service of the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO), which is a Federal agency in the legislative branch. It provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
Coverage: 98th Congress, 1993 to present