PSCI 315: Parties in American Politics: Exploring Databases

Parties in American Politics
Professor: Nicole Mellow
Spring 2023

Databases to Explore

YELLOW GROUP:

RED GROUP:

BLUE GROUP:

Instructions

Within your group, explore your assigned database's search interface by seeing how easy it is to find the following bill:

H.R.1214 - 116th Congress (2019-20)

Protecting Disaster Relief Funds Act of 2019 - introduced 2/13/2019 - sponsor: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M (D-NY-7)

This bill protects certain funds already appropriated for disaster relief or recovery from being transferred to the planning or construction of a new physical barrier along the southwest border of the United States. Specifically, the bill prohibits the transfer of certain funds appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

ASK:

  • Is there a specific place to search by bill number?
  • Is there a difference in results between a search for "H.R.1214" and "hr 1214"? What about for other "spellings" of the bill?
  • Is it possible to search by sponsor name?
  • What are the difference in the pre-search options vs. the filters you can use to limit your results after a search has been performed?
  • What other information about the bill (besides the text of the bill) does the database give you?
  • What other types of resources (besides the text of the bill) does the database give you?