Published February 4, 2021. Updated August 9, 2021.

To create a reference or citation for a congressional document, you will need to know the name of the government department, title of the congressional bill, publication year, and place of publication.

The templates and examples below will show you how to cite a congressional document in MLA style, APA style, Chicago style, and Harvard referencing style.

Easily cite a congressional document in the style of your choice using the Chegg Writing citation generator.

Help protect your paper against accidental plagiarism with the Chegg Writing plagiarism checker and citation generator.

Citing congressional documents in MLA style

In-text citation template and example:

(Government department Page number)

(United States, Cong., House 32)

Works cited entry template and example:

United States, Congress, House or Senate. Document Title. Government Printing Office, Publication Day Month Year. Congress number, Session number, House or Senate Report number.

United States, Congress, House. An Act to Set Apart a Certain Tract of Land Lying Near the Head-Waters of the Yellowstone River as a Public Park. Government Printing Office, 1872. 42nd Congress, 2nd session, House Report 764.

Citing congressional documents in APA style

In-text citation template and example:

(S. Doc. (for Senate document) or H.R. Doc. (for House document) Number, Year)

(H.R. Doc. No. 764, 1872)

Reference list entry template and example:

Citing congressional documents in Chicago style, notes-bibliography

Footnote template and example:

Note

1. U.S. Congress, House,

   
   

   Document Title

   , H.R. or S. Document number, Congress number, Session number (Year).

   1. U.S. Congress, House,

      
      

      An Act to Set Apart a Certain Tract of Land Lying Near the Head-Waters of the Yellowstone River as a Public Park

      , H.R. 764, 42nd Cong., 2nd sess. (1872).

Shortened Note

1. U.S. Congress, House or Senate,

   
   

   Shortened Document Title

   .

   1. U.S. Congress, House,

      
      

      An Act to Set Apart

      .

Bibliography entry template and example:

U.S. Congress. House or Senate. Document Title. H.R. or S. Document number. Congress number, Session number. (Year).

U.S. Congress. House. An Act to Set Apart a Certain Tract of Land Lying Near the Head-Waters of the Yellowstone River as a Public Park. H.R. 764. 42nd Cong., 2nd sess. (1872).

Citing congressional documents in Chicago style, author-date

In-text citation template and example:

(U.S. Congress Year)

(U.S. Congress 1872)

Reference list entry template and example:

Citing parliamentary documents in Harvard referencing style

In-text citation template and example:

(Bill Title, Publication Year)

(Local Electricity Bill, 2019)

Reference list entry template and example:

If the bill is accessed in print rather than online, the place of publication and publisher should be used instead of the URL and accessed date, formatted as “Place of Publication: Publisher.”

Writing a paper? Don’t forget to include a bibliography.