The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a section of the Library of Congress that prepares background reports for Congress upon request.  Their reports cover any national or international policy issue Congress faces.  CRS information is usually non-partisan, concise, well documented, and factual.  Consult the CRS home page http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/index.html for additional background information.

Federal law prohibits CRS from distributing its reports to the public to preserve Congressional confidentiality.  However, legal prohibitions have not prevented their distribution.  Besides the CRS Reports Database, see the Print Counterparts and Related Databases sections below for additional access points.

Microforms

• Major Studies and Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service.
  Capen Multimedia Center MicFilm E740.5 M31 (1916-1989)
  Access through the Libraries Catalog (http://bison.buffalo.edu) or through Major Studies & Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service : 1916-1989 Cumulative Index, 2 volumes.  (Capen Multimedia Center Reference: E740.5 .M31 Index 1916-1989)

• Major Studies and Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service: Supplement
  Capen Multimedia Center MicFilm E740.5 M31 (1990-1992) 
  Access through the Libraries Catalog (http://bison.buffalo.edu) or through annual indexes to the Supplements at Capen Multimedia Center Reference: E740.5 .M31 Index.

• Major Studies and Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service: Supplement
  Capen Multimedia Center MicFiche E740.5 M31 (1992-2005) 
  Access through the Libraries Catalog (http://bison.buffalo.edu) or through annual indexes to the Supplements at Capen Multimedia Center Reference: E740.5 .M31 Index.

Committee Prints

Committee prints are background materials prepared usually by Congressional committee staff for use by committee members.  Committees sometimes publish CRS reports as prints.  The Government Printing Office distributed prints to depository libraries (of which UB is one) since the mid-1970s.  Locate these items through the Libraries Catalog (http://bison.buffalo.edu) or consult House (http://www.house.gov) and Senate (http://www.senate.gov) committee home pages.