Legislative materials
How to cite a congressional bill or resolution
Cite a bill by its designation and number, the Congress, and the year, and name the version you read when it matters, such as “(as passed by House, [date])”.
For a bill that became law, add the public law it was enacted as.
11 real examples
Each citation is printed as the book prints it, from an authority the book checked against its source.
H.J. Res. 208, 92d Cong., 86 Stat. 1523 (1972).
- Bill or resolution number
- H.J. Res. 208
- Congress
- 92d Cong.
- Year or version
- (1972)
The authority
- H.J. Res. 208, 92d Cong. (Congress, Mar. 22, 1972)Source (govinfo.gov)
H.R. 29, 119th Cong. (2025).
- Bill or resolution number
- H.R. 29
- Congress
- 119th Cong.
- Year or version
- (2025)
The authority
- H.R. 29, 119th Cong. (House of Representatives, Jan. 7, 2025)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
H.R. 8404, 117th Cong. (introduced July 18, 2022).
- Bill or resolution number
- H.R. 8404
- Congress
- 117th Cong.
- Year or version
- (introduced July 18, 2022)
The authority
- H.R. 8404, 117th Cong. (House of Representatives, July 18, 2022)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
S. 5, 119th Cong. § 2 (placed on calendar Jan. 7, 2025).
- Bill or resolution number
- S. 5
- Congress
- 119th Cong.
- Section
- § 2
- Year or version
- (placed on calendar Jan. 7, 2025)
The authority
- S. 5, 119th Cong. (Senate, Jan. 7, 2025)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
H.J. Res. 7, 118th Cong. (2023) (enacted as Pub. L. No. 118-3, 137 Stat. 6).
- Bill or resolution number
- H.J. Res. 7
- Congress
- 118th Cong.
- Year or version
- (2023)
The authorities
- H.J. Res. 7, 118th Cong. (Congress, Apr. 10, 2023)Source (govinfo.gov)
- Pub. L. No. 118-3 (Congress, Apr. 10, 2023)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
H. Con. Res. 14, 119th Cong. § 1 (as passed by House, Feb. 25, 2025).
- Bill or resolution number
- H. Con. Res. 14
- Congress
- 119th Cong.
- Section
- § 1
- Year or version
- (as passed by House, Feb. 25, 2025)
The authority
- H. Con. Res. 14, 119th Cong. (House of Representatives, Feb. 25, 2025)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
H. Res. 1232, 117th Cong. (as agreed to by House, July 19, 2022).
- Bill or resolution number
- H. Res. 1232
- Congress
- 117th Cong.
- Year or version
- (as agreed to by House, July 19, 2022)
The authority
- H. Res. 1232, 117th Cong. (House of Representatives, July 19, 2022)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
S. 5, 119th Cong. § 2(1)(C) (as passed by Senate, Jan. 20, 2025).
- Bill or resolution number
- S. 5
- Congress
- 119th Cong.
- Section
- § 2(1)(C)
- Year or version
- (as passed by Senate, Jan. 20, 2025)
The authority
- S. 5, 119th Cong. (Senate, Jan. 20, 2025)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
H.R. 8404, 117th Cong. § 5 (Senate amendment, Nov. 29, 2022).
- Bill or resolution number
- H.R. 8404
- Congress
- 117th Cong.
- Section
- § 5
- Year or version
- (Senate amendment, Nov. 29, 2022)
The authority
- H.R. 8404, 117th Cong. (Senate, Nov. 29, 2022)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
H.R. 7521, 118th Cong. § 2(a)(2)(A) (as passed by House, Mar. 13, 2024).
- Bill or resolution number
- H.R. 7521
- Congress
- 118th Cong.
- Section
- § 2(a)(2)(A)
- Year or version
- (as passed by House, Mar. 13, 2024)
The authority
- H.R. 7521, 118th Cong. (House of Representatives, Mar. 13, 2024)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
H.R. 8404 § 4 (as passed by House).
- Bill or resolution number
- H.R. 8404
- Section
- § 4
The authority
- H.R. 8404, 117th Cong. (House of Representatives, July 19, 2022)Source (govinfo.gov)
Where the book teaches this
Where the book teaches this
The full rule, its exceptions and the reasons for it are in these sections.