Congressional Research Service Reports
Updated June 12, 2009.
Prepared by Cheryl Nyberg
The Congressional Research Service (a division of the Library of Congress) provides high-quality research and analysis for members of Congress. The reports, studies, and issue briefs CRS staff create are succinct and well-researched and many are regularly updated. About CRS
For many years, these reports were only available through commercial subscriptions or by contacting individual members of Congress. CRS did not print or distribute the reports to libraries. Today, hundreds of CRS reports are available on the Internet.
This guide identifies online, print, and microfilm sources of CRS reports.
Internet Sources
Searchable source for a multitude of CRS from several free, online collections, including the National Council for Science and the Environment, the Federation of American Scientists, the IP Mall at the Franklin Pierce Law Center, and WikiLeaks.
University of North Texas Libraries, CRS Reports
Another large collection of reports. Search or browse by topic.
Several organizations collect CRS reports in specific subject areas:
Subject |
Source |
Agriculture & issues |
|
| Congress & its procedures | Law Librarians' Society of Washington, DC |
| US Congress, House, Rules Committee | |
| First Amendment issues | First Amendment Center |
| Foreign relations, homeland security, military, national security & terrorism | Air War College |
| US Dep't of State, Foreign Press Center | |
| Naval Postgraduate School, Dudley Knox Library, Digital Archives | |
| Thurgood Marshall Law Library | |
| GlobalSecurity.org | |
| Health law & policy | Thurgood Marshall Law Library |
| Intellectual property, cyberlaw & e-commerce | Franklin Pierce Law Center |
Commercial Sources
The Congressional Research Digital Collection is a product that libraries may add to their subscriptions to LexisNexis Congressional. This service is not currently available to University of Washington library users.
Major Studies and Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service is comprised of a printed index and companion microfilm collection. The Law Library does not have either source, but the index is available at Suzzallo Government Publications (JK1108.M353 at Reference) and the microfilm reels are at Suzzallo Microforms Newspapers (Microfilm A6816.
The UW Libraries catalog includes individual records for CRS reports in this series beginning in 1916, although before the 1970s the series contains relatively few documents. Government Publications has also cataloged a number of individual reports that they have obtained.
Penny Hill Press sells CRS reports. The website contains a list by subject and includes abstracts.
CRS reports are sometimes reprinted in Congressional committee hearings. Use LexisNexis Congressional (via the UW Libraries Research Databases [UW Restricted]) or CIS Index & Abstracts (KF49.C62 at Reference Area) to search for Congressional Research Service.
Copies of individual reports are available from your local Representative to Congress. Several online Congressional directories are available:
- Congress Merge, Online Congressional Directory. Click on your state or type in your address and/or zip code to identify your Representative and/or Senator.
- C-Span, Congressional Directory. Type in your zip code.
- U.S. House of Representatives, Member Directory
Other Guides
University of Michigan Library Documents Center, Congressional Research Service Reports
Links to a variety of sources providing the text of CRS reports (including many sources listed above).
Debra L. Atkins, "Tracking Down Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports Easily," Law Library Lights, Vol. 46, No. 2, Winter 2002, at 28.
LLRX, Stephen Young, CRS Reports.