Most Wanted Government Document in 2009
According to the 2009 report, Show us the Data, the reports from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) are the most wanted U.S. federal documents. The survey results described the CRS Reports:
"The Congressional Research Service (CRS) uses taxpayer dollars to produce excellent reports on public policy issues ranging from foreign affairs to agriculture to health care. These reports are posted online, but on an internal system available only to Congressional offices through a password. Citizens can ask for these reports through their member of Congress, but they must know that the report exists. Currently, reports are sold by third parties or made available, when possible, by advocacy groups and others. Congress should make CRS release these reports to the public proactively and directly."
Open Source Access to CRS Reports
- Every CRS ReportThis is a "project of Demand Progress in collaboration with the Congressional Data Coalition". The website indicates they are working with a couple congressmen to acquire every new CRS report and are also loading earlier reports in collaboration with other projects dedicated to making CRS report accessible.
- CRSReports.comWebsite launch December 2015 that provides free access to over 33,000 Congressional Research Service documents.
- Homeland Security Digital LibraryYou can "Refined by Selected Group" by "CRS reports" to search over 18000 reports.
- Penny Hill Press -Provides indexing for most post 1993 CRS reports and some earlier. You can use the citations information to locate digital copy elsewhere.
- Requesting reports form Congress"CRS reports are not available in the public domain until they are released by one or more members of Congress. Sometimes this is done when the member wants to highlight a certain political issue but more often than not, reports are released as citizens request them."
