congressional journals

The Constitution (Article 1, Section 5) requires both houses of Congress to keep and publish journals of their legislative business. The Senate also keeps a journal of its executive business (treaties and nominations). Unlike the Congressional Record, with its lengthy speeches, the journals are short minutes that list such information as bills and resolutions introduced, committee referrals, amendments, and votes. The indexes to the journals provide a short history of all legislation, nominations, and treaties for easy reference. Journals are available for research in the government documents section of most large libraries throughout the country.

Each legislative day in the House and Senate must begin with the reading of the journal, although this formality is usually suspended by unanimous consent. Journal clerks take notes on the proceedings and prepare the histories of bills and resolutions for publication in the annual journals.