CONGRESSIONAL SERIAL SET Hidden Treasures in American History | |
Exhibit for the University of Michigan Graduate Library, December 2005 | |
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The U.S. Congressional Serial Set contains House and Senate Reports (recommendations on pending legislation) and House and Senate Documents (communications from the Executive Branch) since the 15th Congress, 1st Session (1817). Lawyers use the House and Senate committee reports on bills to determine the legislative intent of any given law. Throughout the 19th and early 20th Century, it also included the majority of important Executive Branch publications, including the reports of the great explorations, Foreign Relations of the United States, and the Decennial Census. |
American State Papers were privately produced under congressional authority between 1832 and 1861 to include previously printed or manuscript executive and legislative documents. The 38 volumes, 1789-1823, are also considered part of the Serial Set. | |