seal Library Services
Holy Family Home
Library Home
Mission & Welcome
Search Catalog
Research Databases
Subject Resources
Services & Policies
Information Literacy
Library Handouts
Library Forms
Library/LRC Hours
Email a Librarian

American Government & Law

Congress and Legislative Branch
Federal Legislative Branch
Links to all legislative offices of the Federal government.

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 - Present
Searchable database containing bios of all past and present members of the US House and Senate.

Center for Legislative Archives (National Archives)
Historical and modern records of the House and Senate Committees from the first Congress to the present.

A Century of Law Making for the New Nation (1774 -1873) Contains records of the Continental Congress, register of debates, records of the House, Senate and Statutes at Large.

Thomas: Legislative Information on the Internet
Directory of House and Senate members, committee reports, congressional record, text of public laws, summary and status of Bills.

United States Congress (Government Printing Office)
Official searchable database of Congressional publications. Contains congressional hearings, reports and bills. United States constitutions and laws of the 104 -106 congress.

United States Government Manual (Government Printing Office)
Comprehensive information on executive, legislative and judicial agencies, committees and commissions as well as international and quasi-official agencies.

US House of Representatives
Home page of the current US House of Representatives. Includes links to information about members, committees, legislative actions, and current events in the House.

US Senate
Home page of the current US Senate. Includes links to information about members, committees, legislative actions, and current events in the Senate.


President and Executive Branch
Executive Offices and Agencies (FirstGov)
Comprehensive site providing links to presidential information, all executive agencies, the president's cabinet, and advisory boards.

Presidential Materials (National Archives)
Donated materials to presidential libraries from Hoover to Bush. And collections of federal records that relate to the presidency.

White House
Daily updates of news generated by the president and his staff.


Supreme Court and Judicial Branch
Federal Judiciary Homepage
Overview of Federal court system, publications, directories, news events, and frequently asked questions.

History of the Federal Judiciary
Biographies of SC judges, federal court system, significant cases and topics in SC history.

Judicial Branch
Links to information on all US federal courts, the US Code, and online court opinions.

Supreme Court of the United States
Information about how the SC operates. Includes recent oral arguments and slip opinions.


Laws of the US
Code of Federal Regulation
Official CFR site for locating the rules made by federal agencies and executive departments. Includes search and browse features,

Code of Federal Regulation(Unofficial Site)
Keyword index to rules made by federal agencies and executive departments

Federal Register
Official daily publication for Rules, Proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, Executive Orders and other presidential documents.

FedLaw
Federal laws and regulations arranged by topic and subject category. Links to government agencies, judiciary, codes, and legislation.

FindLaw
General web site to court decisions, case law, legal directories and links to many resources for understanding practices of the legal profession.

Supreme Court Decisions (FindLaw)
Decisions since 1893. Browsable by year and US Reports number, and searchable by citation, case title, and full text.

Supreme Court Collection (Legal Information Institute - Cornell)
Historical and recent SC decisions searchable by party name, topic, and author of opinion

United States Code
Official consolidation and codification of statutory laws. Searchable by word, title, chapter and section.

US Code Table of Popular Names
List of common manes for legislative acts. Example: "Environmental Protection Act."


Pennsylvania: Government & Law
Pennsylvania Bulletin
Official newsletter including information about Statewide and local court rules; the Governor's Proclamations and Executive Orders; Actions by the General Assembly; Rulemakings by State agencies; Proposed Rulemakings by State agencies; and State agency notices.

Pennsylvania Code
Search or browse the state's legal code.

Pennsylvania Consolidated and Unconsolidated Statutes
Links to PA Statutes and other state law sites. Useful for finding PA statutes by title or topic, court decisions, pending legislation and regulations. (This is an unofficial site.)

PA Local Governments
Links to county and municipal governments.

PA State Government Homepage
Links to all branches of state government including departments, commissions, agencies. Directories and telephone contacts for state employees.

Updated 06/15/2007