Federal Government

Government Portals

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Access databases, tables, publications, and information regarding employment, unemployment, workplace injuries, inflation, a wealth of resources, and more.
CIA World Factbook: Search for information about countries on this site.
Cross Agency Portals: Use this site to access information from multiple agencies on specific topics.
Data.gov: Data.gov provides access to high value, machine readable datasets generated by the U. S. Executive Branch of the Federal Government. Information in searchable data catalogs can be accessed in three ways: through the raw data catalog, the tool catalog, and the geodata catalog. This site offers access to a vast amount of resources. Search by keyword, single or multiple categories, and⁄or single or multiple agencies.
Federal Bulletin Board: The Federal Bulletin Board is a service provided by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, which enables Federal agencies to provide free public self-service access to federal information in electronic form.
FedStats: This is your one stop shopping spot for federal statistics from over 100 agencies.
FedWorld: This is a portal to government portals. Access government research, Supreme Court decisions, top government web sites, and more. The site is maintained by the National Technical Information Service.
Forms.gov: Use this site to access copies of federal forms.
Government Information Locator Service (GILS): This service serves as a web card catalogue of federal information resources.
GPO Access: This is the portal for the Government Printing Office. Locate Executive, Judicial, and Legislative resources, including Congressional bills, Public and Private Laws, the Code of Federal Regulations, the Federal Register, Presidential materials, Federal Depository Library information, and a comprehensive list of federal government resources available through the site.
GPO's PURL Information Page: Use this site to find a federal government URL or PURL.
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): NARA is the repository for federal documents. Read through the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and The Bill of Rights through links on this site. Research records, military records, and geneaology, link to Presidential Libraries, and much more.
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)'s Web Harvest: This is NARA's site of harvested government agency defunct web sites.
National Institutes of Health.: Use this page to access the government institutes and centers relating to health, aging, medicine, science, and technology.
Science.gov: This is the federal government's portal to authoritative, selected research and development results from government funded science research.
Statistical Abstract of the United States: Use this page to access the current Statistical Abstract and to access previous Statistical Abstracts. Access the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. The Abstract uses many sources including he Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and other Federal agencies and private organizations.
USA.gov: The U. S. Government's Official Web Portal: This is the federal government main portal. access government departments, agencies and bureaus, and much more.

Branches of Government

Executive Branch

Census Bureau: Here is where all things community statistical begin.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC): The mission of the Centers is to promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. This is a deep site with resources for researching health related issues including AIDS, vaccines, Human Genome Epidemiology Network (HuGENet), morbidity tables, infectious diseases, preventive services, pregnancy, and much more.
Department of Agriculture (USDA): This is the government entity charged with overseeing public policy and regulations related to food and nutrition, agriculture, and natural resources. Access forest service maps, a plants database, soil surveys, conservation and environmental policies, the National Water Management Center, an Invasive Species Gateway, recycling and waste management information, a list of USDA agencies, offices, and mission areas, and more.
Department of Commerce (DOC): This department is charged with promoting and developing the foreign and domestic commerce, the economic development, and the technological advancement of the United States.
Department of Defense (DOD): Access U. S. military information on the DOD site. Interestingly, DOD is now describing itself in business terms as America's oldest and largest business on it's welcome page!
Department of Education (ED): Access information regarding students, teachers, parents, administrators, teaching resources, government policies, grants, financial aid, statistics, research, educational related institutes, scientific evidence of what works in education, and more.
Department of Energy (DOE): Use this site to conduct energy related research.
Department of the Interior (DOI): Access the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U. S. Geological Survey, Minerals Management Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service, the Office of Surface Mining, and the Interior Library. Find information regarding endangered species, habitats, conservation, astrogeology, water, hurricanes, earthquakes, and much more. This is another deep research site.
Department of Justice (DOJ): The mission of this department is to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans and to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law. Access DOJ agencies, resources, reports, and government-released information on some controversial issues.
Department of Labor: Access labor related resources including statistics, the Consumer Price Index, Producer Price Index, Employment Cost Index, U. S. Import Price Index, unemployment, and more.
Department of State: Access information regarding countries, travel warnings, embassies, passports, visas, a list of Bureaus, and more.
Department of Treasury: This site provides government information regarding buying money, small businesses, interest rate statistics, IRS forms, bonds and securities, and more.
E-Government: E-Government is President Bush's initiative to transform the Federal government to one that is citizen-centered, results-oriented, and market-based. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is developing the Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA), a business-based framework for government-wide improvement.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC): This government entity regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable and is directed by Commissioners appointed by the President.
Federal Election Commission (FEC): Access campaign finance reports and data.
Federal Register Presidential Documents Guide: Access Executive Orders, Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Public Papers of the Presidents, and the Presidential Libraries home page.
Federal Reserve: This site provides information regarding economic research and development, consumer information, banking regulations, foreclosure resources, financial privacy, and monetary policy.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC): This government entity regulates business practices and has jurisdiction over consumer protection. Access information antitrust and mergers, consumer complaints, debt collection, identity theft, Internet fraud and safety, credit, loans, and more.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS): File your tax return online and access tax return resources.
Patent and Trademark Office: Search patent and trademark information on this site. Information regarding filing for a patent or trademark is also available on this site.
Peace Corps: This government program promotes peace through volunteer work in developing countries.
Regulations.gov: Use this site to find, view, and comment on Federal regulations and other Federal actions.
Smithsonian Institute: Have fun exploring online exhibits, research resources, the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, the Astrophysical Observatory, the Environmental Research Center, the Natural History Museum Research & Collections, and much more at the country's museum.
U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: On March 1, 2003, service and benefit functions of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) transitioned into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as USCIS. Use this site to access immigration information and policies. The Immigration and Naturalization (I&N) Historical Reference Library will be accessible through this site.
U. S. Postal Service (USPS): Use this site to fine a zip code, print a shipping label, calculate postage, locate a post office, track a package, change your address, hold mail, and print online postage.
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents: The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. It contains statements, messages, and other Presidential materials released by the White House during the preceding week. This site covers documents from 1993 to the present.
Women's Bureau: This Bureau is devoted to improving the status of wage-earning women, improve their working conditions, increase their efficiency, and advance their opportunities for profitable employment.

Judicial Branch

The Supreme Court: Access information regarding the Court including the Docket, merit briefs, Court rules, oral arguments, opinions, case handling guides, and more.
U. S. Courts: Locate a Court of Appeals, a District Court, Probation Office, or a Bankruptcy Court. The Library link on the site provides information regarding commonly used terms, court fees, forms, statistical reports, web resources, and more.

Legislative Branch

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: Access biographical information on members of Congress going back to 1774.
Congressional Committee Materials: Use this site to access Congressional committee materials including transcripts of committee meetings, reports, calendars, and bills.
Congressional Record: use this site to search the official record of the proceedings and debates of the U.S. Congress. Access the latest Daily Digest, information on Treaties, the Thomas database, the Law Library of Congress, and more.
U. S. Government Accountability Office (GAO): The GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency through which Congress exercises its oversight responsibilities. The GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. The Comptroller General heads the GAO and is appointed by the President and approved by the Senate and serves for a term of 15 years. The site offers a list of urgent government priorities, a mechanism to report the mismanagement of government funds, a list of experts, and a long term outlook on the country's fiscal state. The site provides many resources, including resources for the transition between administrations and Congresses, a financial audit manual, a list of 21st century challenges, Government Auditing Standards (the Yellow Book), Principles of Federal Appropriations Law (the Red Book), a strategic plan, key national indicators, and reports on everything from high risk and current issues to improving federal research endeavors. GAO was ranked as one of the best places to work in the federal government in 2007.
U. S. House of Representatives: Access information regarding the House leadership, committees, calendar, vote information, House schedule, House rules, educational resources, bills, amendments, debates, and more.
U. S. Senate: Access information regarding Senators, committees, legislation, records, scheduled hearings, active legislation, the session schedule, a virtual reference desk, legislative procedures, and more.

Government Publications

Budget of the U. S. Government: Access the U. S. budget and related documents, Presidential budget proposals, Economic Indicators, historical tables, analytical perspectives, and more.
Catalog of U. S. Government Publications: The Catalogue of U. S. Government Publications provides an index to print and electronic publications created by Federal agencies. Links to full text publications are provided when available. Also, information regarding depository libraries which can print out copies of publications listed in the index is provided.
Code of Federal Regulations: Use this site to access the codified general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by executive departments and agencies. This site links to the Federal Register, the List of CFR Sections Affected, National Archives and Records Administration publications, and information on how to use the Code of Federal Regulations. The site also explains how to submit comments on Federal rules open for comments and published in the Federal Register using Regulations.gov.
Constitution of the United States: This page provides the 2002 searchable version of the U. S. Constitution with supplements and annotations provided by the Congressional Research Service and analysis and interpretation.
Federal Register: The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.
Blogspot: This is the Government Printing Office's Blog for its digital document delivery and content management system.
Government Printing Office (GPO): Access the government's online document delivery service, the online bookstore, information regarding Federal Depository Libraries, and an extensive resource list. The U. S. government is the largest publisher in the world, and GPO is probably the most recognized of the government's publication entities. You can also search across multiple databases from this site.
The Plumb Book: The Plum Book is published after each Presidential Election to identify presidentially appointed positions within the federal government.
U.S. Government Manual: The official handbook of the Federal Government, the Manual provides information (including contact information) on the agencies of the legislative, judicial , and executive branches, as well as quasi-official agencies, international organizations in which the U. S. participates, boards, commissions, and committees.

On-Line Resources

Be Specific: This site provides updates and information on laws and technology issues including copyright, privacy, censorship, the Patriot Act, ID theft, and freedom of information.
CQ Press In Context: This site is published and maintained by CQ Press, the leading publisher of books, directories, subscriptions, and Web products on American politics, federal and state government, American institutions, campaigns and elections, current events, and world affairs. It contains a selection of full-text documents from the subscription-based CQ Electronic Library (CQEL).
Cyber Cemetery: This site is a partnership between the GPO and the University of North Texas Libraries to provide permanent public access to web sites and publications of defunct government agencies and commissions.
DocuTicker: This is Resource Shelf's daily compilation of reports from government, NGOs, think tanks, and other groups.
Historical Documents: This Evergreen State College site provides links to historic American documents, Congressional databases, biographical Congressional information, and much more. Have fun!
Free Government Information (FGI): FGI promotes perpetual free access to government information. Use this blog to find out where to find government information and organizations that have maintained an interest in free access to government information. FGI's library provides links to many resources, including podcasts, directories of government RSS feeds, and more.
Frequently Used Sites Related to U. S. Federal Government: Use this site for quick access to commonly used government resources.
GODORT Handout Exchange and Clearinghouse: This site is maintained by the Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association and provides guides to help sort through government information and how to use it. Learn to create your own map products, research endless topics, locate teaching guides, and much more.
Government Document Brochures and Pamphlets: This University of Buffalo web site provides user friendly access to brochures and pamphlets published by the federal government.
Government Executives: This is a government business news daily for government managers and executives which covers management and organization issues in the executive branch.
Library Resources for Administrative History: Guides to the Superintendent of Documents Classification System: Use this Archives Library Information Center to access information regarding the Superintendent of Documents Classification System and National Archives and Records Information resources.
The Hill: The Hill is an online newspaper about and for the U. S. Congress.
Historical Census Browser: This site from the University of Virginia provides statistical information for state and county topics for individual census years from 1790 to 1960.
Law Librarians' Society of Washington, D.C.: Access the online version of the Society's resource for guiding folks through legislative research entitled, "Federal Legislative History Research: A Practitioner's Guide to Compiling the Documents and Sifting for Legislative Intent."
National Priorities Project Database: This non-profit seeks to make information accessible to people working for social and economic justice. The database offers data on socioeconomic needs and federal expenditures with information about sources and related links. It provides for the creation of customized tables, graphs, and reports. Information is available for state level. Donors include The Ford Foundation, the Town Creek Foundation, the Open Society Institute, the Educational Foundation of America, the Colombe Foundation, the Stewart R. Mott Charitable Trust, the Wellspring Fund of the Peace Development Fund, and individual donors. An excellent resource.
OMB Watch: This research and nonprofit advocacy organization seeks to promote government accountability, the use of fiscal and regulatory policy to serve the public, and to penetrate the secrecy surrounding the Office of Management and Budget and the areas it oversees.
Open CRS: This Center for Democracy and Technology's web site provides a searchable database of Congressional Research Service Reports in the public domain.
Oyez: Oyez is a site created at Northwest University which provides information regarding the Supreme Court, including recordings of oral arguments, the Court's pending docket, information on justices, and a virtual tour of the Supreme Court.
American Presidency Project: This University of California, Santa Barbara web site provides access to the Public Papers of the Presidents, notable addresses of the Presidents, historical Presidential elections data, and information regarding Presidential popularity, the growth of the Executive Branch, Presidential public appearances, vetoes, inaugural addresses, White House Staff Budget, and a wealth of additional information too numerous to mention. An amazing site of great depth.
Tax Analyst: This is a non-profit whose mission is to "help the country tax its citizens fairly, simply, and efficiently." While most of the products on this site are fee based, there is free access to daily tax-related news articles, the Tax History Project, Presidential tax returns, and tax history readings.
U.S. Congressional Bibliographies: Use this North Carolina State University site to research information regarding Congressional hearings and publications.
U. S. Congress Votes Database: Use this Washington Post web page to browse every vote in the U.S. Congress since 1991.
University of Michigan Document Center: Use this mega site to access federal, state, international, and local government information and statistics. This is one of the best sites for government information on the web.