LexisNexis Congressional U.S. Serial Set

The Congressional U.S. Serial Set is an on-going collection of U.S. Government publications compiled under directive of the Congress. It contains comprehensive and often detailed information on an extremely wide range of subjects. There has rarely been a published series of its depth and breadth of coverage, and none in this country as long-lived - its earliest documents date from 1789 and additions are made continuously. Documents included during the period 1789 to 1969 - the full period covered by the LexisNexis U. S. Serial Set Digital Collection - total more than 325,000 individual titles, and nearly 10 million pages.

Congress has always been responsible for selecting items that appear in the set. Although its selection policies have never been entirely consistent, the set has always included a wide range of congressional documents and such noncongressional materials as Congress has from time to time ordered printed for its use and distribution.

Specifically, the Serial Set collection contains, retrospectively, up to 180 years of the following types of publications:

  • Congressional journals, and administrative reports, directories, manuals, and related internal publications.
  • Congressional reports on public and private legislation considered during each Congress.
  • Reports resulting from congressionally commissioned or conducted investigations.
  • Annually submitted reports from Federal executive agencies reviewing current problems and activities under agency purview.
  • Extended series of survey, research and statistical publications developed by executive agencies.
  • Selected annual or special reports of nongovernmental agencies.

The U.S. Congressional Serial Set does not normally include the text of debates, bills, resolutions, hearings, and committee prints, unless specifically ordered to be included by Congress.

To access the LexisNexis Congressional U.S. Serial Set database, please select the following link:

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