Senator By Name [DOLE.ASK]{2}
QUERY:dole ADJ bob OR dole ADJ robert
ALTERNATE:"dole bob" OR "dole robert"
RESULT: cri95 DOLE, BOB [a Senator from Kansas]
IDENTIFICATION CODE: Each entry will display in the results list with an identification code followed by the initial words of the title. For example: cri94 HUMAN RIGHTS related term(s) Civil Liberties; Civil Rights; Genocide. In this example, cri stands for Congressional Record Index and 94 is the year of publication.
MAXIMUM RESPONSES: The default settings for SWAIS and for the WinWAIS/MacWAIS client software is to return a maximum of 40 responses to a query. To locate a larger number of documents, you will need to change the setting. In SWAIS type a lower case o at the SOURCE SELECTION menu to change your options. In WinWAIS, select Edit and then Preferences from the pull down menu. In MacWAIS, select File and then Preferences from the pull down menu. Good sample searches{1} for the Congressional Record Index databases are:
This search demonstrates the correct phrasing for retrieving a Congressional Record Index document using a Senator's name. Both Bob and Robert should be used if the preferred form of Senator Dole's first name is not known. A phrase may be entered surrounded by quotation marks (" ") or with each searchable word separated by the ADJ operator. [NOTE: The Index entry arranges the name with the last name first, so a search for "bob dole" will retrieve no results.]
This search demonstrates the correct phrasing for retrieving Congressional Record Index documents about Bill Clinton while he is the President of the United States. Unlike other personal name entries, the President and Vice president are listed by title, with the names appearing parenthetically, so a search for clinton ADJ (william OR bill) would not retrieve these entries. Former Presidents can be retrieved by name, so "reagan ronald" will retrieve the entries for REAGAN, RONALD (40th President of the United States). However, a search for "christopher warren" will retrieve a cross reference to SECRETARY OF STATE (Warren M. Christopher).
QUERY 2:gingrich AND "speaker of the house" ALTERNATE:gingrich AND "speaker house" RESULTS:cri95 GINGRICH, NEWT (a Congressman from Georgia) cri95 SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
If an individual has a title, and you are uncertain how it is
treated in the Index, it is best to search for both the name and
the title. For example, the search "gingrich AND "speaker of the
house" in the 1995 Index will retrieve the entries for GINGRICH,
NEWT (a Congressman from Georgia) and
This search demonstrates the use of boolean operators (AND, OR,
NOT, ADJ) in a query. This query retrieves documents that include
the phrase "human rights" (human ADJ rights) AND the word China.
This search also demonstrates the value of the relevance ranking
feature. Since the search requested information from three
separate databases (1992, 1993 and 1994), the results from each
database are sorted and reported together in a single ranked list.
Relevance is computed based on several factors, including the
occurrence of the search terms in the document title, the
frequency of the terms as a percentage of the total document size
and conformance with the exact search phrasing.
This search demonstrates the correct phrasing for retrieving the
Congressional Record Index document listing all Executive
Communications to the Congress. Each transmittal is listed by the
issuing agency and includes the report title or description,
followed by the Congressional Record page number, executive
communication number and date in the format H178 (EC114) [9JA].
HISTORY OF BILLS
The Congressional Bills databases contain only the text of the
published bills. Additional useful information that does not
appear in the text of the bill itself may be found in the History
of Bills databases. The History of Bills is part of the
Congressional Record Index. As such it covers only
actions on a bill that are reported in the Congressional Record.
It is published bi-weekly when Congress is in session. The
databases are cumulative from the beginning of each session. A
typical entry includes the bill number, title, summary, sponsors
and co-sponsors, and a chronological list of actions on the bill,
each referencing the CR page number and date where the action is
reported.
IDENTIFICATION CODE: Each entry will display in the results list
with an identification code followed by the bill number and the
initial words of the title. For example: hob94 H.R. 3600--A bill
to ensure individual and family security. In this example, hob
stands for History of Bills, 94 is the year of publication, and
H.R. 3600 is the bill number.
Good sample searches for the 1994 History of Bills database are:
This search retrieves the History of Bills entry for the health
care bill introduced by Mr. Gephardt. It summarizes the purpose
of the bill and identifies additional sponsors and cosponsors. It
also reports actions taken on the bill as reported in the
Congressional Record. All references are to the Congressional
Record page number and date when the action was reported. [NOTE:
This bill was introduced in the 1st Session of the 103d Congress,
but was also acted on during the 2d Session, so the complete
history from its introduction is included in the 1994 database.]
This search retrieves the History of Bills entries for H.R. 3600.
The bill number may be typed with or without punctuation, but a
query without punctuation must include a space between h & r.
This search retrieves the History of Bills entry for the health
care bill introduced by Mr. Gephardt and reported out of committee
as House Report 103-601. The report number may be typed with or
without the punctuation. [NOTE: The abbreviation for House Report
in this database is H. Rept.]
This search retrieves the History of Bills entries for Public Law
103-191. The results include the entry for S. 1716, the bill that
became Public Law 103-191, and the list of Public Laws for the 1st
Session of the 103rd Congress. Since the bill was signed into law
during the recess between the 1st and 2nd Sessions, it was
reported in the Congressional Record at the beginning of the 2nd
Session and therefore appears in the 1994 History of Bills
database. Not every public law is reported by number in the
Congressional Record, so a separate listing of all public laws is
added to the database as a finding aid. [NOTE: The phrase Public Law is
not abbreviated in this database.] The Unified Agenda, also known as
the Semi-Annual Regulatory Agenda, is published in the Federal
Register twice a year, usually in April and October. It summarizes the
rules and proposed rules that each agency expects to issue during the
following six months. Because of its unique schedule and content, it is
maintained as a separate database.
IDENTIFICATION CODES: Each document in the 1995 Unified
Agenda database will display with the identification code ua followed
by the date. There are no section identifiers in the Unified Agenda
databases.
Good sample searches for the 1995 Unified Agenda database are:
This search retrieves all Unified Agenda entries for the Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), including the summary list
pending actions under the agency name and an individual summary
for each regulatory action announced by HUD. The lower case "and" in
the alternate query is a stop word (unlike the boolean operator AND),
so its presence will have no effect on the query results.
This subject search retrieves Unified Agenda documents that
reference regulatory actions planned for lead-based paint. It is
not agency specific, and retrieves both HUD and EPA documents.
This search retrieves Unified Agenda documents that reference
regulatory actions affecting 40 CFR 745. [NOTE: In the Federal
Register database, it is necessary to search for "40 cfr part 745"
to retrieve information on this CFR part.]
Congressional Record Index, Page 3
May 1995
FOOTNOTES********************************
{1} The results of these sample searches are described as they
will appear using SWAIS or the WinWAIS and MacWAIS
client software customized for use with GPO Access. The searches
can be performed with other WAIS client software, but
the display of the results may vary.
{2} When a file name, such as DOLE.ASK, appears in brackets at
the beginning of a sample search, there is a saved search with that file
name distributed with the GPO Access WinWAIS and MacWAIS client
software. The saved searches are also available on The Federal Bulletin
Board and by anonymous FTP from eids04.eids.gpo.gov.
Subject [CHINA.ASK]
QUERY:"human rights" AND China
ALTERNATE:human ADJ rights AND China
RESULT: cri92 CHINA, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
cri93 HUMAN RIGHTS related term(s) Civil Liberties; Civil
cri94 HUMAN RIGHTS related term(s) Civil Liberties; Civil...
Executive Communications
[EXECOMM.ASK]
QUERY:"executive communications"
RESULTS:cri95 EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
Subject and Sponsor [GEPHARDT.ASK]
QUERY:"health care" AND gephardt
RESULT:hob94 H.R. 3600--A bill to ensure individual and
family security ...
Bill Number (HR3600.ASK)
QUERY: "H.R. 3600"
ALTERNATE:"h r 3600"
RESULT: hob94 H.R. 3600--A bill to ensure individual and...
House Report Number [HREPT.ASK]
QUERY:"h. rept. 103-601"
ALTERNATE:"h rept 103 601"
RESULT:hob94 H.R. 3600--A bill to ensure individual and...
Public Law Number [103-191.ASK]
QUERY: "public law 103-191"
RESULT: hob94 S. 1716--A bill to amend the Thomas Jefferson
hob94 PUBLIC LAWS FOR THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 103RD...
Agency Name [HUD.ASK]
QUERY:"housing urban development"
ALTERNATE:"housing and urban development"
RESULT: ua08my95 Department of Housing and Urban Development
ua08my95 1517. HUD ACQUISITION REGULATION [FR-3887]
Subject Search [PAINT.ASK]
QUERY:"lead paint"
RESULT:ua08my95 1380. LEAD-BASED PAINT POISONING
ua08my95 3581. EVALUATION OF PRODUCTS FOR LEAD-
ua08my95 Environmental Protection Agency
ua08my95 Department of Housing and Urban Development
CFR Part Search [40CFR745.ASK]
QUERY:"40 CFR 745 "
RESULT: ua08my95 3587. REGULATORY INVESTIGATION UNDER
ua08my95 3596. LEAD-BASED PAINT DISCLOSURE
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Updated 10/18/95jf