Paralegal Certification PrepLegal Research and WritingMedium
A paralegal is researching the legislative history of a federal statute to understand the intent of Congress when drafting a particular provision. Which of the following primary sources would provide the most direct evidence of the debates and discussions that occurred on the floor of the House and Senate?
- AUnited States Code (U.S.C.)
- BHearings
- CCommittee Reports
- DCongressional Record
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Congressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates, proceedings, and votes of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. It directly captures the discussions on the floor.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The U.S.C. contains the codified statutes, not their legislative history.
- B. Hearings contain testimony, but not the floor debates themselves.
- C. Committee Reports explain the bill, but don't record floor debates.
Congressional Record
The official daily record of the proceedings, debates, and activities of the U.S. Congress.
- Captures floor debates and discussions.
- Published daily when Congress is in session.
- Essential for researching legislative intent.
Memory trick: To 'Record' the 'Congressional' 'Debates', check the 'Congressional Record'.