Subject Guide: Government

Subject Guide: Government

SUBJECT GUIDES : PUBLIC AFFAIRS

G O V E R N M E N T


Compiled by
Prof. Jerry Bornstein
Note: *(asterisk) indicates highly recommended site.

GENERAL

  • Columbia University Documents Service Center (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides well-organized access to Federal information sources and includes sections on New York State and New York City resources.

  • *FirstGov
    New official gateway site for accessing online U.S. Federal Government resources. Includes browsing and searchng features, as well enabling users to conduct important business online, including applications for student loans, Social Security transactions, etc.

  • Google Government Search (NEW ADDITION)
    Search engine that provides various links to all sections of the U.S. government including biographies of all former U.S. Presidents.

  • *Documents Center: Government Resources on the Web
    Excellent selection of links to government, academic, media, organizational and statistical sites pertaining to public affairs and government on the international, federal, state and local levels. Produced by the University of Michigan.

  • Political Database of the Americas
    Documentary and statistical information on Latin America, including text of constitutions for each country, electoral laws, legislative and executive branch information and election data. Jointly produced by Georgetown University, Organization of American States and Canadian Foundation for the Americas.

  • Political Resources on the Net
    Exhaustive links to international government, organization, and media sites throughout the world, including more than 14,000 sites. Maintained by Agora Telematica(Italy).

  • Project Vote Smart
    Tracks performance of over 13,000 political leaders at the federal and state levels, including biographies, addresses, issue positions, voting records, campaign finances, and evaluations by special interest groups. Tracks status of pending legislation, examines voting records and the text of bills. Provides access to information on elections, federal and state governments, the issues, and politics. Produced by the non-partisan Center for National Independence in Politics (CNIP).
  • Women in Politics Bibliographic Database (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides information on new books and articles produced throughout the world about women in politics, representing international, regional, country-by-country and thematic perspectives of the subject.

FEDERAL
  • 411 for Government: Carroll Publishing Government Directories U.S. (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides directories regarding all levels of government personnel - Federal, State, and Municipal - including over 385,000 government decision-makers.

  • About Counties (National Association of Counties) (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides information about various counties in the U.S., including information about special projects dealing with the environment, sustainable communities, volunteerism and intergenerational studies.

  • Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to Present
    Biographical information for all individuals who have served in the United States Congress and the Continental Congress.

  • Budget of the United States
    Provides data on the federal budget, and related and supporting documents. Site maintained by the Office of Management and Budget.

  • C-SPAN Congressional Vote Databases (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides data on reactions to most recent U.S. events since 1994 and you can browse through or search by member name, subject, month, or Zip code

  • *CAPWEB
    Provides links to government sources in legislative, executive and judicial branches, access to laws and bills, the Congressional Record, campaign and political news.

  • Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (NEW ADDITION
    Gives access to a database of all Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.

  • Clinton Presidential Materials Project (NEW ADDITION)
    An example of website archived at the National Archives. The materials are no longer updated and links to other sites may not work.

  • Code of Federal Regulations (NEW ADDITION)
    All the active Federal Regulations currently in force, arranged by subject (codified).

  • Economic Report of the President
    Full text of the President's Economic Report to Congress from 1996-present.

  • *Executive Branch
    Official site providing links to federal executive branch departments and agencies. Maintained by the Library of Congress.

  • Federal Government Information Center (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides various links to consumer information including a catalogue, contact center, consumer action handbook, information development and all segments on consumerism.

  • Federal Procurement Data System (NEW ADDITION)
    This website is the central repository of statistical information on Federal contracting. It contains detailed information on contract actions over $25,000 and summary data on procurements of less than $25,000. The website can be used to identify who bought what, from whom, for how much, when and where.

  • Federal Web Locator
    Comprehensive links to government sources provided by the Center for Information Law and Policy at Villanova University.

  • Fedstats (NEW ADDITION)
    A portal to statistics from over 100 Federal Agencies.

  • Fedscope (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides information and statistics about the U.S. Federal Government employment.

  • *FedWorld
    Links to government information, including 100 government-operated electronic bulletin boards, 20 searchable databases, and 10,000 ftp data sites. Maintained by the National Technical Information Service.  

  • Federal Election Commission
    Official FEC filings on financial contributions to political candidates at the federal level.

  • GAO - U.S. General Accounting Office
    As the investigative arm of Congress, the GAO is responsibile for audits and evaluations of Government programs and activities. This site includes GAO Reports and Testimony, Comptroller General Decisions and Opinions, Reports on Federal Agency Rules, GAO Policy/Guidance Publications and Special Publications.

  • Government Locator Information Service (GILS) U.S. (NEW ADDITION)
    This site helps to identify, locate and describe publicly available Federal information resources, including electronic information resources.

    • Internet Archive (NEW ADDITION)
    Includes list of documents removed from government sites since September 11.

  • Judicial Branch: Federal Judiciary Home Page
    Official site of the federal judiciary with directory information, press releases, links to the Third Branch (newsletter), and statistical information.

  • Mayors at a Glance Database (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides brief biographical information on mayors for many U.S. cities, including their initiatives, resources for security and anti-terrorism. It includes information from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

  • Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications
    This site provides ibliographic records published in the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications (MOCAT) since January 1994. These records describe government information products available through the Federal Depository Library Program. Once an information product is identified, a link is available to locate depository libraries that carry the material. Updated daily with preliminary cataloging records that will be edited and published in future issues of MOCAT.

  • NARA's Database of Public & Private Laws (NEW ADDITION)
    All laws enacted by Congress from the 104th Congress (1995-1996) through the current Congress (107th)

  • National Partnership for Reinventing Government
    Formerly known as "National Performance Review," this is the official site of the project led by Vice President Al Gore to streamline government, reduce costs and improve results.

  • Occupational Outlook Handbook (Bureau of Labor Statistics) (NEW ADDITION)
    This is a nationally recognized source of career information designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives.

  • Recent Lobbyist Registrations with the United States Congress (NEW ADDITION)
    This provides information regarding parties that file with the U.S. Secretary of the Senate's Public Records Office, intending to lobby the United States Congress

  • *Thomas
    Legislative information on the Web. Provides full-text of legislation from the 103rd Congress to the present; bill summaries and status, and public laws from 1973 to the present, as well as information on Congress, congressional committees, the legislative process and historic documents. Created under the directive of the leadership of the 104th Congress to make Federal legislative information freely available to the Internet public, and maintained by the Library of Congress.

  • Uncle Sam Migrating Government Publications (NEW ADDITION)
    Provides links to publications that have been converted to electronic format. Indicates electronic only or dual (print and electronic) format.

  • U.S. Census Data (NEW ADDITION)
    Historical U.S. Census Data from 1790 to 1960

  • U.S. House of Representatives
    Official House of Representatives site provides access to House schedule, committees, legislative process, voting records for current congress and links to Thomas legislation site. The Report of the Special Prosecutor and White House Rebuttal are available on this site.

  • U.S. National Debt Clock
    An award-winning site, tracking the growth of the national debt, with links to related sites.

  • U.S. Senate
    Official U.S. Senate site provides information about senate committees, legislative actions, members and procedures.

  • USDA Economics and Statistics System (NEW ADDITION)
    An example of government/university partnership. It provides links to the United States Department of Agriculture Economics and Statistics System.

  • *White House Home Page
    Official White House site with links to other government material, economic data, etc.

  • White House Briefing Room
    Part of the White House Web site, this page offers access to press releases, text of presidential speeches, and the latest economic and social statistics released by the federal government.

INTERNATIONAL
  • Africa Almanac
    Indicates that, far from being the wilderness of human civilization, Africa is a real potential player in the international arena. It covers the real behind-the-scenes positive developments in Africa including the 100 Top African of 2001.

  • All Africa
    Provides news and news links for the entire African continent.

  • Country Indicators for Foreign Policy
    This represents statistical information regarding salient features of the economic, political, social, and cultural environment of various countries.

  • Database KOSIMO (Political Conflicts)
    This database presents (currently) 693 political conflicts from 1945 to 1999. Each conflict is coded with 28 variables. You search from URL: http://www.hiik.de/en/kosimo/kosimo_querry.htm

  • Department of State
    Background notes as received from regional bureaus including information on the geography, history economy and people of various countries.

  • Department of State Countries & Regions
    Lists sites for diplomats, embassies, and areas of special sovereignty and provides reports on various international affairs.

  • European Foreign Policy Bulletin EU
    This provides foreign policy documents issued by the European Union since 1985. It contains the title, descriptive information (date and place of issue, presidency and status of document), and full text of the documents. It is possible to search titles and text as well as the descriptive fields.

  • FIRST (Facts on International Relations and Security Trends)
    This presents documented information from research institutes, covering areas in the field of international relations and security. It includes hard facts on armed conflicts and peace keeping, arms production and trade, military expenditure, armed forces and conventional weapons holding, nuclear weapons, chronology, statistics and other reference data.

  • InfoNation UN
    This is site is an educational tool for international affairs and brings together diverse communities of students and educators from around the world. It provides links to activities and projects that teach students about global issues in an interactive, engaging and fun way.

  • Library of Congress Country Studies
    Contains online versions of books covering 101 countries and regions.

  • Political Database of the Americas
    Presents information about the political systems of the Americas. It includes comparative institutional, constitutional and electoral studies and characteristics of individual countries in the region.

  • Uganda News- New Vision
    It is a government owned newspaper; provides news links about Uganda.

  • Uganda News- Monitor
    It is a privately owned newspaper; provides news links about Uganda.

  • United Nations Daily Press Briefing Search UN
    Provides daily UN press briefings with links to news magazines, multimedia, news conferences and press releases.

  • United Nations Voting Records UN
    Gives access a catalogue of UN publications and can be searched by author, title, subject, UN Numbers or multi-index. It has links to UN voting records, citations to speeches made in the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council and Trusteeship Council.

STATE

State : General

    Note: To access state home pages, use the following template:
    http://www.state.xx.us/
    (xx=the state postal abbreviation)

  • Council of State Governments
    Updated each weekday with information and news on state governments' activities and policies.

  • NASIRE State Search
    Maintained by National Association of State Information Resource Executives. Provides topical clearinghouse for state information on the internet, with over 2000 entries in 23 subject categories.

  • National Conference of State Legislatures
    Information on state legislative policy issues, press releases and latest developments.

  • National Governors Association
    Information on governors, state issues and innovative state programs. Includes 1998 Governors' State of the State messages. Full-text of reports, testimony, etc.

  • State and County Quick Facts (New Addition)
    Provides census bureau information at the national, state, and county level.

State : New York

  • Government in New York State
    Provides links to the official sites of executive, legislative and judicial branches of New York State government, as well as political parties and civic actions groups. Maintained by Capital Region Information Service (CRISNY).

New York
Provides links to New York state and local government sites, including counties and municipalities. A Piper Resources guide to government sponsored Internet sites.

  • *New York State
    Official Home Page of the State of New York, with links to government agencies, the legislature, and statistical information.

  • New York State Association of Counties
    Provides information on legislative issues affecting county governments in New York State.

  • New York State Assembly
    State Assembly site provides directory information on Assembly members, committee and floor calendars, public hearing schedules, and the Assembly Legislative Information System, with which you can review detailed information on legislation in the current two-year legislative session, including full text of a bill, its current status in the legislative process, and the sponsor's Memorandum in Support. Links to statutes and the state constitution are also available.

  • New York State Conference of Mayors
    Provides information on matters pertaining to the state's cities.

  • New York State Senate
    State Senate site provides biographical and voting record information for senators, Senate schedule, hearings, and links to information on pending legislation, statutes, resolutions, state constitution, etc.

  • New York State Education Department
    Official site of the State Education Department, which is esponsible for general supervision of all educational institutions in the state, for operating certain educational and cultural institutions, and for certifying teachers and certifying or licensing practitioners of thirty-eight professions. Site includes information on Board of Regents, polices, programs and publications.

  • New York State Health Department
    Provides directory services, consumer information, and health care data for researchers.

  • Port Authority of New York/New Jersey

Official site of the Port Authority, providing detailed information, including statistics, on the agency's activities.

State : New Jersey

  • New Jersey
    Provides links to New Jersey state and local government sites, including counties and municipalities. A Piper Resources guide to government sponsored Internet sites.

  • *New Jersey State Home Page
    New Jersey's official site, with access to everything from today's winning lottery number to the state library.

State : Connecticut

LOCAL

Local : General

Local : New York City

  • *Discovering the Bronx
    Unique site offering demographic statistical analysis of the Bronx. Compiled by Prof. William Bosworth, Lehman College (CUNY).

  • CyberHall
    Official site of the New York City Public Advocate, with access to voter registration information, the People's Green Book, and other links.

  • Independent Budget Office
    Official site of the New York City Independent Budget Office (IBO), a publicly funded agency established in 1996 to enhance official and public understanding of the largest municipal budget in the country.

  • New York City Council
    Official site of the City Council, providing information on the work of the city's legislative branch, legislation, hearings, and links to related sites.

  • New York  City Criminal Justice Agency
    Home page of the NYC Criminal Justice Agency (CJA), a private non-profit corporation contracting with the City of New York. Includes information on research studies and statistical data on criminal justice issues.

  • *New York City Link
    Official site of New York City government, with links to city agencies, mayoral addresses, press releases, etc.

  • Queens
    Home Page for the Borough of Queens, featuring information, statistics, history, cultural attractions, tourist information, links to government and economic development information.