GovInfo (Federal Register / CFR / Bills / Budget Docs)

Official site: https://www.govinfo.gov/

What This Site Is

GovInfo is the federal government's official online library for government documents. It's where you can read and download the official text of things like laws, bills, regulations, the Federal Register, congressional records, court opinions, budget documents, and agency publications. Think of it as the place to go when you need the real source document (PDF/text), not a news summary or someone else's explanation.

What You Can Do Here

  • Search and download official government documents (often as PDF, text, and XML)
  • Browse big collections (Bills, Public Laws, Federal Register, CFR, Congressional Record, Budget, etc.)
  • Use "Details" pages to confirm the version, date, and source
  • Open "Related Documents" to find other versions or connected items (ex: bill versions over time)

Start Here (Pick What You're Looking For)

If you want to...

  • Get the official text of a bill (H.R. #### / S. ####) → Go to Browse → Category → Bills and Statutes → Congressional Bills, pick the Congress/session and search by bill number or keywords, then open PDF or Text
  • Get the official text of a law (Public Law) → Browse Bills and Statutes → Public and Private Laws, search by public law number or keywords, then open PDF
  • Get the Congressional Record / Daily Digest → From the homepage "Recent," click Congressional Record Daily Digest, choose the date and open the PDF
  • Get a Federal Register notice (proposed rules, final rules, notices) → Use site search and filter to the Federal Register collection, search by agency name + keyword, then open the Details page and PDF
  • Get a CFR regulation (the codified rules) → Search and filter to Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), use a citation (example: "42 CFR 482") or keywords, then open the official entry

How This Page Works

  1. Start on the homepage and choose one path: Search (best when you know a bill number, phrase, or keyword) or Browse (best when you want to drill down by category)
  2. Narrow it down fast using Category/Collection (Bills, Federal Register, CFR, Congressional Record, etc.) and Date if needed
  3. Open the result's Details page to confirm what it is, the Congress/session (for bills), and the dates
  4. Use the format buttons: PDF = official layout / best for quoting, Text = easier to skim, XML = structured data (mostly for developers)
  5. Check Related Documents if you need other versions, companion docs, or earlier/later actions

Common Things to Search For

  • Bill numbers (H.R. #### / S. ####) and bill versions (introduced, engrossed, enrolled)
  • Federal Register notices by agency + keyword
  • CFR parts/sections by citation
  • Congressional Record / Daily Digest by date
  • Budget documents (search "budget" + year + department/appendix)

Good to Know

  • GovInfo is about official documents, not simplified explanations
  • The same item may appear in multiple formats; PDF is the safest "official copy"
  • "Details" pages are where you confirm you're reading the right version and date
  • "Related Documents" is often the fastest way to find earlier/later versions without re-searching
Open GovInfo (Federal Register / CFR / Bills / Budget Docs) →