FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE HISTORY Part 1

Margaret Clark, Reference Librarian

FSU Law Research Center

Fall 2008

Federal Legislative History - 1

What is legislative history? Why compile a legislative history? Documents that make up leg history What tools can I use to search for a

compiled legislative history? HeinOnline Westlaw LexisNexis USCCAN (U.S. Code and Congressional

What is legislative history?

A collection of related documents produced by Congress during the enactment, or rejection, of a proposed public law.

Why compile legislative history?

To clarify questions about a statute if there are no cases interpreting it.

To understand the meaning of specific language or terminology

To determine legislative intent at the time statute was enacted

Legislative History Documents Bills 106 H.R. 275 110 S. 30

Many versions: engrossed enrolled Committee hearings

Hearing on H.R. 5388 before the Comm. on the Judiciary, 109th Cong. 51-76 (2006)

Committee reports H.Rpt.106-55 Committee prints H.R. Doc No.43 (Title) Committee documents H. Doc. 105-22 Floor debates 132 Cong. Rec. 32408; CR H2675 Conference report H. R. Conf. Rep. 105-37 Slip law/session law Pub. L. 106-386

Not all legislative documents are created equal!

1. Statute text

2. Conference report’s joint explanatory statement

3. Committee reports

4. Remarks, debates

5. Bill text in various versions

6. Witness statements in committee hearings

7. Prints, reports, signing statements, news articles

Excerpted from Richard McKinney’s Federal Legislative History Research,

http://www.llsdc.org/sourcebook/docs/fed-leg-hist.pdf, last updated May 2006

Hearings

Reports

Debates

Popular Name

U.S.Code Citation

VICTIMS of TRAFFICKING and VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT OF 2000

STEP 1: Identify public law number STEP 2: Identify bill number STEP 3: Check for compiled legislative

history STEP 4: Find legislative history

documents STEP 5: Read and analyze documents

Step 1: Identify public law number

VICTIMS of TRAFFICKING and VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT OF 2000

Use Popular Name table from any of these sources:

Cornell Popular Name Table web site (free) USCA / USCS Popular Name Table

22 USC § 7102 Use history notes at the end of the USC

section

Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000

STEP 1: Identify public law number

Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000

USCA-POP

22 USC § 7102

STEP 1: Identify public law number

STEP 2: Identify bill numberPub.L. 106-386

Step 3: Check for compiled history

HeinOnline Westlaw Arnold and Porter Collection Lexis Legislative Histories

USCCAN – U.S. Code Congressional & Administrative News

http://www.law.fsu.edu/library“Find It Quickly”

Hein Online

HeinOnlineSources of Compiled Legislation

Hein Online

Hein Online

HeinOnlineSources of Compiled Legislation

HeinOnlineU.S. Federal Legislative History Title Collection

USCCANU.S. Code Congressional and Administrative News

Two sectionsLaws - Public laws in chronological orderLegislative History

List of legislative history documents Reprints selected documents, e.g. committee reports Helpful tables offer checklist

Print begins with 1941 Westlaw begins with 1973

Questions?

Civil Rights Act of 1957

Step 1 : Identify public law number. Where? Popular Name Table (Internet – Cornell’s Popular Name Table)

Answer is: P.L. 85-315

Step 2: Identify its bill number. Skip for the moment Step 3: Check for Compiled Sources. Where?

HeinOnline - Bill number? Answer is: 85 H.R. 6127 What source points to actual documents? Answer is: Book called “Civil Rights,” edited by B.

Schwartz, 1970

Thank you!

Coming up on Thursday…FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE HISTORY – part 2

Lexis’ CIS Legislative History databaseWestlaw’s Graphical StatutesThomasGPO Access