Frequently Asked Questions

For PDFs of the committee’s hearings, please go to the Government Printing Office’s Federal Depository System website, found here. Documents can also be found in print at all Federal Depository Libraries. Click here to find a library close to you.

If the hearing does not appear on the Government Printing Office website, it probably has not been published yet. Official hearing prints can take up to six months to a year to publish, especially if they are part of a series or there are many documents for the record to collect and assemble.

Refer to the Hearings section of this website. Hearings are organized by date. For most hearings, the hearing video, member statements, and witness testimonies are available and can be downloaded. 

The National Archives and Records Administration stores a number of historical congressional materials. Documents from the Committee on Governmental Affairs and its related Committees, including the Committee on the Post Office, Civil Service, and District of Columbia can be found here and date as far back as 1816. These documents provide a wealth of information and perspective on the activities of the Committee. To view a finding aid, which provides useful information to conduct research, of the committee’s materials, click here.

Senate Resolution 474 (96^th Congress) states that records will be made available to the public, in the case of investigative files and records of executive nominations, when such files and records have been in existence for 50 years; and in the case of all other such records, when such records have been in existence for 20 years.

The Freedom of Information Act, P.L. 89-487, does not include the records of Congress.

The Senate Historian’s Office has been conducting interviews with staffers regarding their careers in the Senate since the 1970s. For information regarding the project, including a listing of those oral histories that are open to research, click here.

The Subcommittee Archive on this website contains information relating to the subcommittees of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee prior to the 118^th Congress.

Our Committee is primarily responsible for reviewing legislation before Congress and providing oversight of the federal government. If you are seeking assistance for a problem or issue with a federal agency, please contact either of your state’s Senators’ personal office or your Representative. Each personal office will have caseworkers who are familiar with the federal agencies and programs and will know how best to assist you. Click here for a list of U.S. Senators by state and their contact information. To find your Representative, please click here.