Government Documents for You

The Congressional Bibliographies' primary goal is to be an authoritative, exhaustive reference source of meetings held and documents released by House and Senate committees. The Congressional Bibliographies focus on a select few of the types of publications issued by Congress as a part of the legislative process - hearings, prints, and publications. Its greatest emphasis is on Senate hearings.

Much of the work of Congress occurs in committees where members receive information from witnesses in hearings. Congress is interested in a wide range of topics, from foreign policy to finance, from agriculture to public health and sports. The transcripts of committee hearings are of great value in researching the issues facing our nation and the world. The Congressional Bibliographies identifies hearings held, hearings published, and hearings unpublished; and facilitates researchers' access to this important body of literature.

The Congressional Bibliographies project pursues its two goals with four different products.

* Authoritative lists of printed Senate Hearings, Prints and Publications
* Statistics and lists of Senate Unprinted Hearings
* Chronological lists of meetings held by House and Senate committees
* Searchable database of House and Senate committee meetings

Available on the Internet: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/congbibs/

Post on GovDoc-L from: John A. McGeachy, Social Sciences Reference Librarian, Research & Information Services Department, North Carolina State University

There is a great search engine hosted on Google for for students, faculty, researchers, and officials who are doing research in intergovernmental organization topics. The IGO Search searches across hundreds of IGO websites, enabling users to research topics such as active IGOs working on HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

Located at: http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=006748068166572874491:55ez0c3j3ey

**What is an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO)? Think United Nations or NATO.**

Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length.

The Sunlight Foundation has created a widget where users can keep up with the latest tweets from members of Congress who use Twitter. The Sunlight Foundation’s Capitol Tweets widget updates you every 10 minutes with the latest tweets from members of Congress.

Users can download the widget from the following website:
http://sunlightfoundation.com/capitoltweets/

For a list of the Members of Congress who Twitter go to the following website:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Members_of_Congress_who_Twitter

El Camino Hacia una Vida Saludable: Basado en las Guías Alimenticias para los Estadounidenses = The road to a Healthy Life: Based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in collaboration with the Office of Minority Health and Office on Women's Health. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 2008.
SUDOC: HE 1.2:R 53/SPAN.-ENG

This booklet is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. Enclosed are the basic guidelines for eating a healthy diet and being physically active. The information is primarily geared toward the Hispanic/Latino community, and is written in both Spanish and English.

This booklet, as well as Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005, 6th ed.) can be found at:
http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines

Additional information about food groups, nutrition values, and ideas on physical activity can be found at: http://www.healthierus.gov

Snider, L. Britt. The Agency and the Hill: CIA’s Relationship with Congress, 1946-2004. Washington, DC: Center for the Study of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, 2008.

This is a study of the CIA’S relationship with Congress, from the creation of the Agency until 2004. In Part I of the book, the author portrays how Congress and the Agency related before and after the creation of the committees on select intelligence, and discusses how the Agency shared intelligence and Congress managed oversight. Part II describes what the relationship produced over time: legislation affecting the Agency; programs and budget; oversight of analysis; oversight of collection; oversight of covert action; oversight of security and personnel matters; and the Senate confirmation process. It highlights what the principal issues have been for Congress in each area as well as how those issues have been handled.

Available on the Internet: http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS101665

**Taken from Preface.**

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents. Washington, D.C.: Veterans Administration, 2007.

Veterans of the United States armed forces, and their immediate families or dependents, may be eligible for a broad range of programs and services provided by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These benefits are legislated in Title 38 of the United States Code. This booklet contains a summary of these benefits effective January 2, 2008. Covered in this booklet are the following topics: VA Health Care; Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities; VA Pensions; Education and Training; Home Loan Guaranty; VA Life Insurance; Burial and Memorial Benefits; Reserve and National Guard; Special Groups; Transition Assistance; Benefits for Dependents and Survivors; Appeals of VA Claims Decisions; Military Medals and Records; and Benefits Provided by Other Federal Agencies.

Available on the Internet: http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS2622

Evidence of Trends, Risk Factors, and Intervention Strategies: A Report from the Healthy Start National Evaluation 2006: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Infant Mortality. Rockville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, 2008.
SUDOC: HE 20.9202:T 72

The rate of infant mortality in the United States declined by 74% from 1960 – 2000; however, there are racial/ethnic disparities in birth outcomes where there is a notably higher rate of infant mortality than other races/ethnicities. The groups with the highest rates of infant mortality (in descending order) are: Blacks, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Puerto Ricans.

This report provides information about the national Healthy Start program and other perinatal health initiatives to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in birth outcomes. The racial/ethnic disparities in birth outcomes are described and the evidence on behavioral, biological, and social risk factors for poor perinatal outcomes in the context of such racial/ethnic disparities is reviewed. The risk factors are: prenatal care, folic acid use, periodontal care, infant sleep position, breastfeeding, well-child care, interconceptional care, maternal smoking, alcohol and other drug use, adolescent pregnancy, perinatal depression, stress, bacterial vaginosis, domestic violence, and maternal birthweight. The findings from this study provide an evidence base for designing and evaluating initiatives such as Health Start that are intended to reduce or eliminate disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes.

Available on the Internet: http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS99065

Other resources and information available at the Maternal and Child Health Bureau:
http://mchb.hrsa.gov/

**Information from Executive Summary.**

Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, 2006.
SUDOC: HE 20.3323:D 64/2006

The National Institutes of Health publishes informational pamphlets discussing various diseases, conditions, and syndromes. This one discusses Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis, a disease affecting 50% of Americans the age 60 and older. This pamphlet discusses the causes of the disease, its symptoms, and medical solutions.

Look for this pamphlet or others like it at the following websites:

Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis: http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS99064

Also visit National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/a-z.asp

Also visit Health Information at the National Institutes of Health:
http://health.nih.gov/

Transforming Diplomacy: Engage with the World. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, 2008.
SUDOC: S 1.2:D 62/17

This brochure discusses the many resources and programs offered by the State Department with the aim to expand the understanding of foreign affairs in young people, their educators, and community leaders. Some of the programs mentioned include: inviting a diplomat into the classroom in person or through videoconferencing, engaging in international exchanges, or browsing the Department’s website.

An overview of the State Department’s Youth and Education offerings:
http://www.state.gov/youthandeducation

The State Department website designed for students, parents, and teachers:
http://future.state.gov

Foreign Policy briefings, videoconferences, or Hometown Diplomat Program e-mail form:
http://contact-us.state.gov

Classroom Resources Online Lesson Plans:
http://www.future.state.gov/educators/lessons

Classroom Resources Downloadable exhibit on the Marshall Plan:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/dc/exhib/mp

Order educational videos and curriculum materials:
http://videodirect.state.gov

For more information about the Department of State:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho

The Energy Star Challenge: Build a Better World 10% at a Time. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation, 2007.
SUDOC: EP 1.2:EN 2/27/TOOLKIT

This toolkit teaches users how they can be part of the ENERGY STAR Challenge by helping improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10% or more. Users will learn how to: measure and track energy use; develop a plan for energy improvements; make energy efficiency upgrades; and help spread the energy efficiency word to others. Another great feature of the toolkit is that users can learn more about energy efficiency for specific building types. The Fast Facts section provides useful statistics to help understand the important role commercial and industrial buildings play in global climate change.

Information available on the Internet: http://www.energystar.gov

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has a website, Liber8, that provides access to the world of economic data and information. The "Featured Resource" section updates content with each Liber8 newsletter. Browsing menus lets users search by subject or source. The new map links you directly to GeoFred, where users can create data maps for employment, labor force, and more.

GeoFRED http://geofred.stlouisfed.org
1. Users can create multiple maps with the same data for all available years, months, and quarters. For instance, a user can create a .pdf of unemployment by state that includes the data for the past ten years.
2. Users can now download all the data available for the economic indicators in GeoFRED.
3. Users can define for themselves the class intervals (that is, the data ranges) to suit their needs.
4. Users now have the ability to save a map to their personal account.

Also check out the new content at their FRASER site: http://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Statistical Atlas of the United States 1914
Statistical releases - H.6 completed 1976-1999, G.17 1990-1997
Descriptions of Federal Reserve Districts (decentennial) 1922-1998
Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization

Post on GovDoc-L from: Katrina Stierholz, Director of Library and Research Information Services, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

An independent task force, chaired by former Senators Daniel Coats and Charles Robb and sponsored by the Bipartisan Policy Center, recently released their report entitled "Meeting the Challenge: U.S. Policy Toward Iranian Nuclear Development."

This 94 page report is available directly from:
http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/8448

or from their main website at: http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/

Post on GovDoc-L from: Greta E. Marlatt, Information Services Manager & Homeland Security Digital Library Content Manager, Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School

September 12, 2007, marked the official debut of The Dirksen Congressional Center's new online version of Congress in the Classroom® - http://moodle.congressclass.org - an award-winning course for teachers. This improved version of the course uses a more interactive approach, featuring many options to engage you (and the instructor) in the course materials.

Congress in the Classroom® Online will help you understand today's Congress and suggest ways to teach about it. The self-paced online course is organized around the twin responsibilities of Congress members: representation and lawmaking. There are twenty individual units on such topics as "What Makes for Effective Members of Congress?" "How Representative is the Membership of Congress?" and "Lawmaking: Understanding the Basics."

Do you teach social studies, American government, American history, or civics? Are your lessons about the U.S. Congress out of date? Is it hard to engage your students in learning about the House and Senate? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then Congress in the Classroom® Online is the course for you!

Link for the Dirksen Congressional Center: http://www.dirksencenter.org/

Post on GovDoc-L from: Cindy Koeppel, Dirksen Congressional Center

The Department of Defense released their latest quarterly report on the situation in Iraq. The September 2008 version of the "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq" report is now available at:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/d20080930iraq.pdf

The report includes various useful graphs and charts including: the production and export of oil; oil revenue; average electricity demand and production; average daily hours of electrical power by Province; weekly security incident trends; civilian deaths; ISF and US Military deaths; ethno-sectarian deaths; high profile attacks (explosions); Iraqi Security Forces numbers and more

These reports to Congress are issued in accordance with the Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2008 (Section 9010, Public Law 109-289; Section 9204, Public Law 110-252)

Previous editions of the report can be found at:
http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/Iraq_Reports/index.html

Post on GovDoc-L from: Greta E. Marlatt, Information Services Manager & Homeland Security Digital Library Content Manager, Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School

The Project on National Security Reform [PNSR] headed by James Locher III released their case studies volume today. This "Case Studies" volume one looks at: the decision to invade Iraq; the national counterintelligence mission; human trafficking; U.S.-India Civil Nuclear cooperation agreement; managing U.S.-China crises; Somalia; Bosnia and Kosovo and more.

This 650 page report is available directly at:
http://www.pnsr.org/data/files/pnsr%20weitz%20case%20studies%20vol%20i.pdf

The press release is available at:
http://www.pnsr.org/web/module/press/pressID/116/interior.asp

Other reports and related information [including literature reviews, articles and conference proceedings] can be found on their main website is http://www.pnsr.org/

The PNSR is a non-partisan group that was established to "assist the nation in identifying and implementing the kind of comprehensive reform that the government urgently needs."

Post on GovDoc-L from: Greta E. Marlatt, Information Services Manager & Homeland Security Digital Library Content Manager, Dudley Knox Library, Naval Postgraduate School

Pfaff, Christine. The Bureau of Reclamation’s Architectural Legacy: 1902-1955. Denver, CO: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, 2007.
SUDOC: I 53.2:AR 2/14

The Bureau of Reclamation is an agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and oversees water resource management, specifically as it applies to the oversight, operation, or both, of numerous water diversion, delivery, and storage, and hydroelectric power generation projects it built throughout the western United States.

This history explores Reclamation offices and residences constructed between 1902 and 1955. Due to the remote location of most Reclamation engineering works, the Bureau had to provide temporary or permanent housing and office space for its employees during project construction and the ongoing operation and maintenance of its engineering assets. Also discussed are the influence of architectural styles on Reclamation’s offices and residences following the progression of popular national and regional styles. Some of the projects covered are the Boulder Canyon, Columbia Basin, Central Valley, Colorado-Big Thompson, and Missouri River Basin projects. One important component of this volume is the extensive collection of maps, plans, and photographs.

Available on the Internet: http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS93386

Warfare in the Age of Non-State Actors: Implications for the US Army. The Proceedings of the Combat Studies Institute 2007 Military History Symposium. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press, 2007.
SUDOC: D 110.16:2007

This book explores the challenges associated with conflict between nation-states and transnational religious, ethnic, or criminal groups. It also examined the historical experiences of both the United States and other nations in this most asymmetric of environments in an attempt to distill the insights from the past can provide us guidance into the future.

Available on the Internet at: http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/CSI/CSISymposium-2007.pdf

The annual Combat Studies Institute Military History Symposium provides a forum for the interchange of ideas on historical topics pertinent to the current doctrinal concerns of the United States Army. Furthermore, the Symposium solicits input from a diverse group of military personnel, government historians, civilian academicians, journalists, and thinkers in a setting that promotes the exchange of ideas and information.

Previous reports are available at: http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS93670

**Text taken from book's preface**

State of Minority Business in America. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, 2007.
SUDOC: C 1.102:M 66/4

This hand held disc provides information on minority businesses in America in the year 2007, with information for every state. Spinning the disc allows users to find out information on: Total Number of Minority Firms, Gross Receipts, and Number of Paid Employees. Also included are statistics on the following ethnic groups: Black or African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Hispanic or Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.

For more information go to: http://www.mbda.gov/

The Astronomical Almanac for the Year 2009. Washington, DC: Nautical Almanac Office, 2008.
SUDOC: D213.8:2009

The Astronomical Almanac contains a wide variety of both technical and general astronomical information. The material appears in sections, each section addressing a specific astronomical category and also includes references to the material, explanations, and examples. The book is joint publication between U.S. Naval Observatory and Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office (HMNAO) in the UK.

**Text from book’s product description at Amazon.com**

This information, and other supplemental materials, are available on the Internet at: http://asa.usno.navy.mil/index.html

Mayer, Dale C. Presidential Libraries Holdings Relating to Prisoners of War and Missing in Action. revised ed. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 2007.
SUDOC:AE 1.124:104/2007

This guide describes records relating to prisoners of war and missing in action that are preserved in the Presidential libraries. It covers materials relating to World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War and events in neighboring Laos and Cambodia, and the Pueblo incident. The guide also offers helpful advice on the policies and procedures of the Presidential Libraries.