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Political Science

Use this guide to begin your political science research.

Government Information

Introduction to Federal Resources

This guide is designed for new researchers to locate federal government information. Use the navigation on the left to see specific branch resources. If you would like to discuss your research needs further, please contact Matt Steele, the government information librarian.


Key Resources

Legislative Branch


Executive Branch


Office of the President

Agencies and Departments

Administrative Codes and Regulations

Proposals for regulatory changes or additions are proposed in the Federal Register as rules. An accepted proposal is added to the Code of Federal Regulations.

Judicial Branch


Oversight and Analysis Agencies


Government Accountability Office | GAO

The Government Accountability Office is a legislative branch government agency that provides auditing, evaluation, and investigative services for the United States Congress. It is the supreme audit institution of the federal government of the United States.

Congressional Budget Office | CBO

The Congressional Budget Office is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government that provides budget and economic information to Congress.

Congressional Research Service | CRS

CRS reports provide Congress with both anticipatory and on-demand research and analysis to support their legislative, oversight, and representational duties. All reports adhere to the core values of CRS; they are authoritative, objective and nonpartisan.

Historical Documents


Congressional Serial Set

The Serial Set contains the House and Senate Documents and the House and Senate Reports. In general, it includes: committee reports related to bills and other matters, presidential communications to Congress, treaty materials, certain executive department publications, and certain non-governmental publications.