Making laws
Congressional Record
The daily published account of floor proceedings in both chambers, including debate, votes, and material members insert without ever speaking it aloud.
In full
The Record is the closest thing to a transcript of Congress, published for every day either chamber is in session since 1873. Members may revise and extend their remarks, and may insert entire documents, so a speech in the Record was not necessarily delivered. The Extensions of Remarks section is where much of that inserted material lives.
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Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.
A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.