How do I cite U.S. legislation (laws in progress) in APA Style?
Answer
Legislation and law are not the same. Legislation is the process of preparing and enacting a law. There are four types of legislation:
- Bills
- Joint Resolutions
- Concurrent resolutions
- Resolutions
If you're looking to cite a law, see the FAQ, "How do I cite a law?"
APA citations for legislation are based upon The Bluebook style, the legal and paralegal citation format. The examples on this page are based upon this book and if they do not cover your source, please consult The Bluebook directly.
Include:
- The abbreviated name of the legislative body according to Bluebook rules on abbreviation
- House of Representatives: H.R.
- U.S. Senate: S.
- The number of the session (this could also be a date range) and if referencing a particular section, include this section symbol "§" followed by a number (all bills and resolutions are divided into sections).
- The title of the bill/resolution (if relevant and not unwieldy to include i.e. really long)
- The year of the publication (the date of the document you are looking at)
Title of Legislation, Congress number Congress (abbreviated). § section number (if applicable) (Year).
Supporting Families in Substance Abuse Treatment Act, H.R. 2857, 115th Cong. (2017).
SALTS Act, S. 207, 115th Cong. § 2 (2017).
H.R. Res. 265, 115th Cong. (2017).
(this resolution had a very long title "Expressing support for the designation of the week of April 24,
2017, through April 28, 2017, as National Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Awareness
Week." and was therefore not included)
H. Con. Res. 71, 115th Cong. (2017).
H. J. Res. 124, 115th Cong. (2017).
For more information see the APA Style Blog: Writing References for Federal Statutes, APA Style Blog
If you need further help, contact a librarian