For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-98-503
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                Order Code 98-503 GOV
                                                                                Updated March 31, 2008




                Publications of the U.S. Senate
                              Matthew E. Glassman
                            Analyst on the Congress
                         Government and Finance Division

     The U.S. Senate produces several publications relating to the legislative functions
of the Senate.1 They include, but are not limited to, publications dealing with rules and
procedures, bills, anticipated and past legislative activities, committee matters, and
chamber proceedings. This report provides a brief description of these publications.

Chamber Activity Publications
     !   The Senate Journal is the official record of the Senate used to chronicle
         all actions such as motions offered, bills introduced, amendments offered
         and agreed to, votes, quorum calls, etc. As required by the Constitution,
         the Journal records the official actions of the Senate for each legislative
         day, and is published on a periodic basis. At the beginning of each
         legislative day, the Senate votes to approve the Journal of the preceding
         legislative day.

     !   The Senate Executive Journal is the official record of the Senate, which
         chronicles actions relating to advise and consent matters such as
         nominations, treaties, and impeachments.

     !   The Congressional Record includes the daily proceedings and debates
         in the Senate (and House) chambers. The proceedings of the Senate are
         reflected in the text that is prepared by the official reporters of the Senate,
         who record verbatim each word spoken. Members are also permitted to
         submit materials and speeches for inclusion in the section of the Record
         reserved as Extension of Remarks, and are provided an opportunity to
         "revise and extend" remarks attributed to them the day prior to printing.
         The Record reports all votes, bills introduced, bills reported from
         committee, and a wealth of other Senate, committee, and non-legislative
         information. (See CRS Report 98-266, Congressional Record: Its
         Production, Distribution, and Accessibility, and CRS Report 98-265, A
         User's Guide to the Congressional Record, both by Mildred Amer.)


1
 This report was originally written by Faye M. Bullock, formerly a Technical Information
Specialist at CRS. The listed author updated the report and is available to answer questions
concerning its contents.
                                         CRS-2

    !   The Calendar of Business (Senate Calendar) is issued each day the
        Senate is in session, and includes resolutions and motions eligible for
        floor consideration; unanimous consent agreements; legislative action on
        appropriation bills; and bills at the conference stage. (See CRS Report
        98-429, The Senate's Calendar of Business: Functions and Contents, by
        Betsy Palmer.)

    !   The Executive Calendar serves as the calendar used to track the Senate's
        business while the chamber is in executive session. Executive business
        -- that is, nominations and treaties are placed on this calendar. (See CRS
        Report 98-438, The Senate's Executive Calendar, by Betsy Palmer.)

Procedural Publications
    !   The Senate Manual is compiled by the Committee on Rules and
        Administration and contains the standing rules, standing orders, and laws
        pertaining to the Senate. The Senate Manual is usually published each
        Congress and includes the Declaration of Independence, Articles of
        Confederation, Ordinance of 1787, and the Constitution.

    !   The Standing Rules of the Senate are published periodically and include
        the 43 rules of the chamber. The standing rules are compiled by the
        Committee on Rules and Administration, and are also included in the
        Senate Manual.

    !   Riddick's Senate Procedure contains a compilation of Senate
        procedures, precedents, and practices. This digest, which is organized
        alphabetically by topic, was originally compiled by Floyd M. Riddick,
        parliamentarian emeritus, and updated in 1992 by then parliamentarian
        Alan S. Frumin.

    For additional information on procedural publications, see CRS Report 98-308,
Senate Legislative Procedures: Published Sources of Information, by Christopher Davis.


Committee Publications
    !   Published Hearings Transcripts include the proceedings of Senate
        committee hearings and may be published by the committee that held the
        hearings.

    !   Committee Prints are produced in various forms for committee
        business, such as drafts of legislation, committee rules, and analyses in
        support of legislation.

    !   Committee Reports prepared by committees and published by the
        Senate provide a narrative account of a study or the reasons for an
        approved measure. They include the history and explanation of a
                                     CRS-3

       committee approved measure, funding ramifications, and changes made
       in existing law.

Other Publications
   !   Senate Documents contain original or historical documents of
       importance for Senate business, such as messages of the President.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-98-503