Legal Research

Congressional Research Service reports

By Diane Murley

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), in the Library of Congress, provides research services for Congressional committees and members of Congress. CRS reports are known for their depth and quality, and they can be excellent resources for legislative history or policy research. Recent reports include:

• Free Trade Agreements: Impact on U.S. Trade and Implications for U.S. Trade Policy, January 13, 2009;
• Pay Discrimination Claims Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: A Legal Analysis of the Supreme Court’s Decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Inc., January 13, 2009;
• Tax Cuts for Short-Run Economic Stimulus: Recent Experiences, January 9, 2009;
• Wilderness Laws: Permitted and Prohibited Uses, January 7, 2009.

The CRS works exclusively for Congress and does not release its reports directly to the public, but members of Congress are allowed to share reports with the public. Despite efforts by interested organizations and members of Congress, these reports have been difficult to obtain
?until now.

WikiLeaks, a non-profit dedicated to government transparency, recently obtained and released 6,780 CRS reports dating back to 1990. WikiLeaks also shared the reports with OpenCRS, a project of the Center for Democracy and Technology. Thanks to these two organizations, you can find in-depth and high-quality reports relevant to your research.

Hat tips to Prof. Victoria Trotta and to BoleyBlogs!

Full post as published by Ross-Blakley Law Library Blog on February 18, 2009 (boomark / email).