• Floor Actions Only
• Detailed Legislative History
• Congressional Record Page References

Floor Actions Only

This section lays out only floor actions in reverse chronological order -- that is, the most recent action on the bill is displayed at the top of the file. Floor actions such as roll call vote numbers and final vote tallies are included. The date of the floor action is followed by its brief description and a Congressional Record page number referencing the page in the daily printed Record where the full text of the debate or other Congressional floor action is recorded. The Congressional Record page number is then linked to a list of all documents which appear on that page -- the documents may either begin and/or end on that page. Select the relevant article title for the text describing the floor action in which you are interested.

Tips for Finding Relevant Sections in a Congressional Record Document

Although Congressional Research Service (CRS) staff attempt to keep pace with changes in bill and amendment floor actions for every bill, the status information given here may not yet reflect the most recent activity for very fast-moving bills.

Detailed Legislative History

The STATUS option entitled Detailed Legislative History links the user to a comprehensive display of legislative status steps including, but not limited to, floor actions. These steps are divided into House, Senate, Conference, and Executive Actions, where applicable, and then presented in chronological order under each section.

Unlike the Floor Actions Only status information that is built by Library of Congress staff, the content of the step information in Detailed Legislative History is developed by the House and Senate, sent to the Library of Congress, and displayed without modification in the THOMAS system.

Steps may include actions such as committee referrals, committee/subcommittee disposition of a bill, a record of hearings held and committee reports issued, placement on House/Senate calendars, unanimous consent agreements, amendments proposed, modified, agreed to or failed, recorded vote numbers and totals, voice votes, cloture motions, motions to table, conference actions, presentation to and signing into law by the President, presidential vetoes or pocket vetoes. (For a detailed examination of the legislative steps a bill may undergo, refer to How Our Laws Are Made).

Congressional Record Page References

A third section, entitled Congressional Record Page References, appears under the STATUS display. This section is reserved for important information about a measure which does not constitute floor action: e.g., remarks made by Members of Congress upon the introduction of a bill, the full-text of amendment printed in the Congressional Record, any conference reports printed in the text of the Record, etc. The date of the item is followed by its description and a Congressional Record page number referencing the page in the daily printed Record where the full text of the introductory remarks or conference report or other item is recorded.

The Congressional Record page number is then linked to a list of all documents which appear on that page -- the documents may either begin and/or end on that page. Select the relevant article title for the text describing the floor action in which you are interested.

Tips for Finding Relevant Sections in a Congressional Record Document

Use the BACK button on your browser to return to the bill STATUS display.