The proceedings of Congress are recorded in the Journals of Congress. The Journals note the matters considered by the House and the Senate, and include votes and other actions taken.

Library holdings and online access

Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States of America

Time Period

Format and links

1789 - 1875

Online from the Library of Congress

1817-1952

The House Journal is included in the Congressional Document Set. See this section of the guide for information on how to verify and locate these publications

Paper

Consult the CIS US Serial Set Index - 1789 to 1969

1875-1983 (imperfect)

Paper
Controlled Access Collection

1979 - 2010

Microfiche

1818 - 2020

Online from the US Government Publishing Office

Journal of the Senate of the United States of America

Time Period

Format and links

1789 - 1875

Online from the Library of Congress

1817 - 1952

The Senate Journal is included in the Congressional Document Set. See this section of the guide for information on how to verify and locate these publications

Paper

Consult the CIS US Serial Set Index - 1789 to 1969

1873 - 1986 (imperfect)

Paper; held offsite

1979 - 2010

Microfiche

1818 - 2022 Online from the US Government Publishing Office

Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America

This is the Senate's separate record of its executive proceedings that relate to confirming presidential nominees and consenting to the making of treaties.

Time Period

Format and links

1789 - 1875

Online from the Library of Congress

1805 - 2007 (imperfect)

Paper
Controlled Access Collection

1967 – 2010

Microfiche

BACKGROUND

From The United States Constitution, Article I, section 5:

'Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.'

More information about the journals can be found in the Library of Congress online guide.

SUDOC

You might notice the acronym SUDOC in the call numbers of the United States Government microfiche Catalogue records.

United States Government Printing Office (USGPO) microfiche was received on deposit from 1983. It is arranged by Superintendent of Documents classification, given at the top of each fiche. Collect fiche from the Newspaper & Microforms Reading Room

You can find information about SUDOC numbers online from the West Texas A&M University.

The National Library ceased receiving SUDOC fiche from June 2010, but the existing collection is retained.

Not sure where to start?