Government Publications: United States: House and Senate Journals

Guide to United States government publications.

Definition: Journal

The Journalis a constitutionally-mandated record of certain House and Senate actions, including motions offered, votes taken, and amendments agreed to. Unlike Congressional Record , it does not contain remarks delivered in the House and Senate.

House of Representatives Journals

Journal of the House of Representatives (plus select documents from prior Congresses)
1992 (102nd Congress, 2nd Session) to present (usually a 2 year delay)
The Journal is the official record of proceedings of each legislative day in the House of Representatives. The Journal records the result of every vote, and state in general terms the subject of it; therefore, the recorded votes on amendments occurring in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union are recorded in the Journal, but not the proceedings. The Journal contains no verbatim debate, but instead a rendition of all the official actions of the House, including every motion made and every vote taken.
House Journal via Library of Congress
1789 (1st Congress) to 1875 (43rd Congress)
The Journal does not record the debates, but the "Link to date-related documents" in the full text transcription provides access to other documents that do contain the debates.

Senate Journals

The Journal of the Senate of the United States is published pursuant to the Constitution of the United States (Art. I, Sec. 5) under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate.

Senate Journal via Library of Congress : 1789 (1st Congress) to 1875 (43rd Congress)

Senate Executive Journal via Library of Congress : 1789 (!st Congress) to 1875 (43rd Congress)

Maclay's Journal: 1789 to 1791 (1st Congress)