Not all hearings are published. Not all bills have hearings. Hearings are held early on in the legislative process and carry less weight than reports and Congressional debates in determining legislative intent. Reports - Generally, reports are the most important document in determining Congressional intent. Debates - Congressional debates take place on the floor of the House or Senate and are printed in the Congressional Record .
Debates are to be distinguished from hearings, which take place before a committee.
In addition, debates are between members of the legislature while hearings generally consist of non-legislators expressing their opinions on what the purpose of the bill should be. Generally, debates carry more weight in determining legislative intent than hearings, but not as much as reports. Presidential Messages - These messages are delivered from the president to Congress to explain reasons for suggesting, signing, or vetoing legislation. This service provides a chronology for every bill introduced. Included are indexes by subject and bill author, voting records, and brief biographical information for members of Congress.