Refining with Filters

Refining Search Results with Filters

Filters are a convenient way to refine your search results by selecting additional search criteria from among those available in your initial result set. A filter represents a particular data field and displays all the values contained in that field.

Watch a video on refining with filters.

Using Filters

Filters are displayed on the left side of your search results list. Filters are hidden by default on search form results. Click on Show Filters to display.

Numbers next to each filter value represent the number of matching results within your results set. Use the + or - widget next to each filter heading to expand or collapse the list of filter values. Select a filter value to limit your search results to only items containing that value.

For example, select Joint Resolutions under Bill Type to limit your results to joint resolutions only. An X next to a filter value indicates your search has been limited. Click on the X to remove the limit and to restore results for all values.

Some filters, such as Congress, allow you to select more than one value using the checkboxes on the left. You can check as many filter values as you would like to include in your search. Click on Show More to expand a long list of filter values.

Filters are available for Legislation, Committee Reports, Congressional Record, Member profiles, Nominations, Treaty Documents, and Executive Communications collections.

Legislation Filters

Bill Type

Use the Bill Type filter to limit your results to one of the following types:

• Bills (H.R. or S.)
• Amendments (H. Amdt. or S. Amdt.)
• Resolutions (H. Res. or S. Res.)
• Joint Resolutions (H.J.Res. or S.J.Res.)
• Concurrent Resolutions (H.Con.Res. or S.Con.Res.)

Chamber of Origin

Use the Chamber of Origin filter to limit your results to legislation originated in the House or Senate.

Committee

Use the Committee filter to limit your results to legislation associated with a particular House or Senate committee.

Congress

Use the Congress filter to limit your results to one or more Congresses by checking each Congress of interest.

Cosponsor

A cosponsor is a Member of Congress who has joined one or more other Members in his or her chamber (House or Senate) to sponsor a bill or amendment. Any number of Members may cosponsor a bill.

Use the Cosponsor filter to limit your results to legislation cosponsored by a particular member.

Party

Use the Party filter to limit your results to legislation sponsored by a Member from a particular party.

Sponsor

A sponsor is a Member of Congress who introduces a bill or other measure. A bill can have only one sponsor.

Use the Sponsor filter to limit your results to legislation sponsored by a particular Member.

Status of Legislation

Use the Status of Legislation filter to limit your results to legislation that has reached a particular stage in the legislative process. Possible values are:

• Introduced
• Committee Consideration
• Floor Consideration
• Failed One Chamber
• Passed One Chamber
• Passed Both Chambers
• Resolving Differences
• To President
• Became Law

Subject - Policy Area

Use the Subject - Policy Area filter to limit your search results to legislation that is primarily about a particular subject matter. There are 32 policy areas.

Committee Report Filters

Chamber of Origin

Use the Chamber of Origin filter to limit your results to reports by the House or Senate.

Committee

Use the Committee filter to limit your results to legislation associated with a particular House or Senate committee.

Congress

Use the Congress filter to limit your results to one or more Congresses by checking each Congress of interest.

Report Type

Use the Report Type filter to limit your results to House, Senate or Executive reports. Use the Conference Reports Only checkbox to limit your results to conference reports.

Congressional Record Filters

Congress

Use the Congress filter to limit your results to one or more Congresses by checking each Congress of interest.

Chamber of Origin

Use the Chamber of Origin filter to limit your results to the House or Senate sections of the Congressional Record. including Extensions of Remarks.

Congressional Record Year and Volume

Use the Congressional Record Year and Volume filter to limit your results to a specific volume of the Congressional Record.

Congressional Record Section

Use the Congressional Record Section filter to limit your results to the House, Senate, Extensions of Remarks or Daily Digest sections of the Congressional Record.

Member Remarks in the Congressional Record

Use the Member Remarks filter to find Congressional Record pages where a particular member has spoken.

Member Filters

Congress

Use the Congress filter to limit your results to Members serving during the selected Congress or Congresses.

Chamber

Use the Chamber filter to limit your results to Members of the House (Representatives) or Senate (Senators).

Party

Use the Party filter to limit your results to profiles of Members from a particular party.

Members by U.S. State or Territory

Use the Members by U.S. State or Territory to limit your results to Member Profile pages for members from a particular state.

Nominations Filters

Congress

Use the Congress filter to limit your results to one or more Congresses by checking each Congress of interest

Nomination Type

Use the Nomination Type filter to limit your results to one of the following types:

• Civilian
• Military, Foreign Service, NOAA, Public Health

Nominees with US State or Territory Indicated

Use the Nominees with US State or Territory Indicated filter to limit your results to nominations with one or more nominees from a particular state or territory. Use this filter with caution as not all nominees have a state or territory indicated on their nomination.

Committee

Use the Committee filter to limit your results to nominations referred to a particular Senate committee.

Status of Nomination

Use the Status of Nomination filter to limit your results to nominations with one of the following statuses:

• Referred to committee
• Hearings by committee
• Committee consideration
• Discharge from committee
• Reported by committee
• Calendars
• Considered by Senate
• Confirmed by Senate
• Withdrawn by President
• Returned to President

Treaty Documents Filters

Congress

Use the Congress filter to limit your results to one or more Congresses by checking each Congress of interest. For Treaty Documents, Congress includes all treaties received, considered or pending during that Congress.

Status of Treaty Document

Use the Status of Treaty Document filter to limit your results to treaty documents with one of the following statuses:

• Received and Referred
• Committee Consideration
• Hearings by Committee
• Discharged from Committee
• Reported by Committee
• Floor Consideration
• Returned to Committee
• Approved by the Senate
• Returned to President

Treaty Topic

Use the Treaty Topic filter to limit your results to treaty documents with one of the following topics:

• Arms Control
• Aviation
• Commercial
• Consular
• Dispute Settlement and Arbitration
• Drugs/Illegal Substances
• Energy
• Environment
• Extradition and Criminal Assistance
• Fisheries and Wildlife
• Human Rights
• International Law
• International Law and Organization
• Intellectual Property Rights/Copyrights
• Investment
• Labor
• Maritime Boundaries and Claims
• Outer Space
• Shipping and Marine Pollution
• Taxation
• Telecommunications
• Terrorism
• Trademarks/Patents
• United Nations

House Communications Filters

Congress

Use the Congress filter to limit your results to one or more Congresses by checking each Congress of interest.

Record Type

Use the Record Type filter to limit your search to communications or requirement records.

Communication Type

Use the Communication Type filter to limit your results to one or more of the following types:

• Presidential Message (PM)
• Executive Communicaton (EC)
• Petition (PT)
• Memorial (ML)

Chamber of Origin

The Chamber of Origin filter indicates the communications were received by the House.

Committee

Use the Committee filter to limit your results to communications referred to a particular House committee.

Communications by US State or Territory

Use this filter to limit your results by state or territory for communications received from state or territory entities.

Senate Communications Filters

Congress

Use the Congress filter to limit your results to one or more Congresses by checking each Congress of interest.

Chamber of Origin

The Chamber of Origin filter indicates the communications were received by the Senate.

Committee

Use the Committee filter to limit your results to communications referred to a particular Senate committee.

Communication Type

Use the Communication Type filter to limit your results to one of the following types:

• Presidential Message (PM)
• Executive Communicaton (EC)
• Petition or Memorial (POM)