Archer Library: Government Publications: United States

Responding to Changes in United States Government Publications

The United States government has changed how it is publishing information in a departure from past practice. The sources and resources you may have bookmarked, frequently access, or rely on may be missing, incomplete, or altered. We know that some vocabulary has been scrubbed including the terms diversity, equity, inclusion, gender identity, and transgender. Publications or data referencing these terms has been removed. Several government websites have been deleted, gone dark, or altered. The most common changes to government publications and webpages was the removal DEI-related terminology, but other altered content includes removal of references to Long COVID, HIV/AIDS, vaccines, foreign aid, environmental justice, emergency management, and the January 6 Capitol attack.

Librarians, archivists, researchers, and others in the United States and internationally have been working to capture data, websites, and publications before they are removed. If you are interested in learning more about these efforts, please see the Data Rescue Project (link below).

If you need assistance accessing US Government Publications, please contact the Government Publications Librarian.

Key Resources

Data Rescue Project
From the website: The Data Rescue Project is a coordinated effort among a group of data organization, including IASSIST, RDAP, and members of the Data Curation Network. Our goal is to serve as a clearinghouse for data rescue-related efforts and data access points for public US governmental data that are currently at risk. We want to know what is happening in the community so that we can coordinate focus. Efforts include: data gathering, data curation, and cleaning, data cataloging, and providing sustained access and distribution of data assets.
End of Term Web Archive
From the website: The End of Term Web Archive captures and saves U.S. Government websites at the end of presidential administrations. The EOT has thus far preserved websites from administration changes in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.
Democracy's Library
From the website: Democracy's Library brings together more than 700 collections from over 50 government organizations, archived by the Internet Archive since 2006. With more than half a millions documents (and counting) from local, regional, and national governments, we're just getting started!
Government Information: Eliminated, Suspended
Library Guide from Sacramento State that tracks changes to US Federal Government Publications.

Data and Statistics

Open Government
Statistical Abstracts series of the United States
It was published by the U.S. Census Bureau and contains a comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States from 1878 to 2012 (final year of publication).

Sources of data include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, State and Metropolitan Area Data Book, County and City Data Book, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations.

Executive Branch

Compilation of Presidential Documents
The Compilation of Presidential Documents collection consists of the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents and the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents which are the official publications of materials released by the White House Press Secretary. The Compilation of Presidential Documents is published by the Office of the Federal Register (OFR), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Coverage from 1993 to present.
U.S. State Department - Present Administration
Non-archived U.S. State Department webiste
Department of State Media Centre
Links to several document types (press briefings, translations, statements, media notes). Information released online from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017.
Federal Register
The Office of the Federal Register (OFR) is the daily journal of the U.S. Government. It provides access to the official text of federal Laws, Presidential Documents, Administrative Regulations, and Notices. Full-text content since 1994.
White House Briefing Room
Lists press briefings, Presidential statements and releases, Executive actions, legislation that has been signed into law.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court
PACER (Public Access to Electronic Records)
Many case files (starting in 1999) are maintained electronically and are available through the PACER Case Locator internet-based Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. Free online registration is needed to search and locate appellate, district, and bankruptcy court case and docket information.

Legislative Branch

Congress.gov
This source is published by the Library of Congress and contains legislative information from the Government of the United States. This includes: the Congressional Record (published by the Government Printing Office or GPO; cost-estimate reports from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO); Congressional bills; bill summaries.