Frequently Asked Questions
This page provides additional information on The Congress Project and answers some of our frequently asked questions.
How do I cite one of the histories?
To cite material from The Congress Project, please use the following format:
Author name(s) (listed in the top left corner). Year. “Title.” The Congress Project, Month Day. URL.
Example:
Madonna, Anthony. 2016. “Naval Appropriations Act of 1905.” The Congress Project, January 20. https://www.thecongressproject.com/naval-appropriations-act-of-1905.
So, what is The Congress Project?
The Congress Project provides stories, analysis, and context behind important pieces of legislation considered by the U.S. Congress. Each entry includes links to published research, legislative records, and other materials readers can consult for deeper study.
Most of these entries take the form of detailed legislative histories written by undergraduate researchers and reviewed by faculty. Others may consist of assorted notes, references, or data related to specific measures.
How is this website organized?
Legislative histories are organized by Congress, which are split into date ranges listed above. The year ranges are not precise, but are meant to give a general idea of the greater political context surrounding each congress. Within each Congress, you’ll find: a Congress Profile, a list of significant legislation enacted, and hyperlinks to available legislative histories or notes.
Our list of “important” legislation was created by combining several scholarly compilations of landmark laws with key appropriation bills from each Congress. This approach ensures a mix of historically significant and procedurally important measures. These materials are drawn directly from the Congressional Record, historical newspapers, and other cited sources.
Why post this research?
There are several key reasons behind The Congress Project:
1. Accessibility and Understanding – Our main goal is to make Congress and its lawmaking process more accessible to the public. While political scientists have produced valuable datasets on congressional behavior, these can be difficult for non-specialists to interpret. We aim to bridge that gap by translating complex legislative developments into readable narratives.
2. Reliable Information – Publicly available, accurate information about congressional lawmaking is scarce. Wikipedia and similar platforms often lack depth or accuracy, while official sites like congress.gov can be overwhelming for new users. Our project strives to present factual, objective, and digestible summaries of key legislation.
3. Scholarly Collaboration – Many excellent academic works on specific bills exist, but they’re scattered across disciplines and publications. We centralize those materials to make them easier to find, cite, and build upon.
4. Student Research and Education – Much of our material was gathered through UGA undergraduate research courses. By publishing it here, we highlight the outstanding work of our students and make it a resource for others interested in congressional studies.
5. Public Appreciation for Congress – Though complex and often frustrating, Congress remains the most representative branch of American democracy. Understanding how and why legislation develops—often through compromise, procedural maneuvering, or unintended consequences—fosters a deeper appreciation for its role in shaping national life
How can I get involved?
We welcome contributions!
If you wish to write a paper, collect data, or even contribute notes relevant to a piece of legislation,
please contact us at ugacongressproject@gmail.com.
If you want to learn more about the undergraduate courses tied to this project, please direct your inquiries to Professor Anthony Madonna at ajmadonn@uga.edu
We also invite students and instructors to submit new legislative histories or expand existing ones. We can provide templates, citation standards, and research guidance to ensure consistency with the rest of the project.
And if you simply want to share feedback—or even an impassioned opinion about Congress—we’re happy to hear from you.
