Legislative history research can be helpful in shedding light on the meaning or intent of a particular piece of legislation or of specific language contained within that legislation. When a question arises concerning the applicability or interpretation of a statute, a legislative history can be compiled or consulted to better understand the reasons for the enactment of that statute.
Documents used to research legislative history include:
• Committee hearings, prints and reports
• Congressional debates
• Congressional Record
• Presidential records
• Supreme Court decisions
• Various versions of a bill
