USA.gov
Search engine devoted specifically to federal, state, and local government domains (mostly .gov and .mil.) Some .org and .edu are included because of government contracts, funding, and sponsorships. There are also directory access by broad topics, agency website directory and much more.
Science.gov
"Science.gov searches over 45 databases and over 2000 selected websites from 14 federal agencies, offering 200 million pages of authoritative U.S. government science information including research and development results. Science.gov is governed by the interagency Science.gov Alliance"
Subject Guides from the NASA Headquarters Library
The various departments with NASA have libraries that produce subject guides to assist their users. Below are link to subject guides created and periodically updated by the librarians at the NASA Headquarters Library. These topical guides provide citations for books, journal articles and Internet resources. Use these to identify relevant resources.
2011-2012 NFHS Policy Debate Topic
Official Federal Government information is relevant to United States policy debate topics. This guide will you find government information resources.
Click on images from NASA to learn more.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth's mesosphere.
Starting Points
To get you started try is suggestion for finding relevant government information. This guide includes the following sections:
Search Federal Government Websites (box to the left) -- If you not sure which agency will have relevant information start with an Internet search engined that focus specifically on government domains. These portals also include directories by broad subjects and agencies.
Subject Guides from the NASA Headquarters Library (box on the left) -- These guides are a great place to start when you are first exploring a specific focus on the debates topic. The NASA Headquarters Library guides provide a short list of relevant books, articles, and websites by topic.
Full-text Digital Libraries (below) -- There are several relevant "digital libraries" that provide full-text access to various government reports, documents and publications.
Government Accountability Office (GAO) (below) -- GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars.
Legislative Process (new page) -- The publications associated with the legislative history can be rich with relevant content. The trick is understanding how to the find the information and understand the context of the information.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports -- American taxpayers spend over $112 million a year to fund the Congressional Research Service, a "think tank" that provides reports to members of Congress on a variety of topics relevant to current political events.
Full-Text Digital Libraries
There are several relevant "digital libraries" that provide full-text access to various government reports, documents and publications. These are just a few:
- FDsys This link opens in a new window"FDsys provides free online access to official Federal Government publications." The digital collections include federal laws, congressional publications, federal regulations and more.
- Homeland Security Digital Library"Over 90,800 documents related to homeland security policy, strategy, and organizational management from a wide variety of sources including federal, state and local governments; international governments and institutions; nonprofit organizations and private entities."
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."
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
"The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars."
Coordinator, Government Information Services
Depository Library
The University of Kansas Libraries was designated a Federal Depository Library (FDL) January 27th, 1869 and a Regional Federal Depository Library (FDL) for Kansas August 19th, 1976.
The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is a progam of the Government Printing Office (GPO).
Click here to view the Federal Depository Library Directory.