Government Information Research Guide
Topics
Social Security
Social security, the federal retirement system, has become a major issue of our time. Its history, future, and reform is important to the lives of most Americans. Locating government information regarding Social Security is vital to the understanding of its structure, strengths, weaknesses, and competing issues. This guide presents relevant, authoritative government sources to help the researcher and citizen find information on Social Security.
| Congress | | Executive | | Judiciary | | Internet Sites | | Library Databases | | Primary Sources |
Congress
Background Material and Data on Major Programs Within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means (U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means)
(UM/Gov. Docs. Y 4.W 36:10-4/ )
Commonly known as the "Green Book." Includes information on Social Security history, law, benefits and eligibility, statistics and more.
CIS Index: 1970 to the present
(UM/Gov. Docs. Ref. KF40.C56 1981)
Indexes Congressional hearings, committee prints, House/Senate reports, House/Senate documents, executive reports, treaty documents, and public laws.
CIS Index: Legislative Histories
(UM/Gov. Docs. Ref. KF49.C62+) (1984- )
Histories include an abstract of the law and citations for all relevant documents. Arranged by Public Law number. Subject, name and bill indexes included.
CIS US Committee Prints Index through 1969
(UM/Gov. Docs. Ref. Z1223.Z7C66+)
Background studies of issues before Congressional committees.
CIS US Congressional Committee Hearings Index 1789-1969
(UM/Gov. Docs. Ref. KF40.C56 1981)
Citations and summaries of all committee hearings.
CIS US Serial Set Index 1765-1969
(UM/Gov Docs. Ref. Z1223.Z9 C65 1975 );
(1970 - present), (UM/Gov. Docs. Ref KF40.C56 1981)
Indexes Congressional committee reports, journals, manuals, some executive branch publications, and reports from nongovernment organizations.
Congressional Record (GPO Access)
1789- [title varies]
1st Cong. [1789]-98th Cong. [1984] (J 11.-- );
99th Cong. [1985]-104th Cong. [1996] (UM/Gov.Doc. Fiche X1.1: );
105th Cong. [1997]- (UM/Gov.Doc. X1.1/A:)
Online- 1994-
Daily transcript of debate and action on the floor of Congress.
Congressional Research Service Reports (University of North Texas Libraries)
Provides integrated, searchable access to many full-text CRS reports available on Web sites since 1990. CRS is the public policy research arm of Congress. This legislative branch agency works exclusively for Members of Congress, their committees, and their staffs.
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
This independent, nonpartisan agency gathers information to help Congress determine how well executive branch agencies are doing their jobs. GAO has issued many reports related to social security.
Library Catalog
Hearings, prints, and reports on social security can be searched by doing a Keyword search using the words "social security" and "hearing*", or"print", or "report."
The Library has extensive historical holdings of these materials.
Hearings: 1833-
Prints: 1976-
Reports: 1976-
THOMAS (Library of Congress)
Search for Social Security related bills, status of bills and amendments. Search the Congressional Record from 1989. Search Congressional Committee reports from 1995. Includes general information about the legislative process.
Executive
Economic Report of the President (GPO Access)
UMass Amherst Library holdings - click on the Library Catalog and do a title search.
Annual overview of the nation's economic progress using text and extensive data appendices.
Executive Office of the President
Official website of the President of the United States. Information about Social Security is found under the Issues section.
President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security
The Commission was established to provide bipartisan recommendations to the President for modernizing and restoring fiscal soundness to the Social Security System. The Commission released its final report on December 21, 2001 (revised March 19, 2002), presenting three models for modifying the current Social Security program.
Social Security Online
Official website of the Social Security Administration.
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (GPO Access)
(1965-1985, UM/Gov Docs GS4.114); (1986 - Oct 2000, UM/Gov Docs AE2.109:)
Presidential speeches, press conferences, statements, and other material related to social security.
Judiciary
Federal Judicial Branch (W.E.B. Du Bois Library, Government Documents Collection)
Contains websites regarding case law and decisions of federal courts.
Internet Sites
FirstGov for Seniors
Consumer information for seniors on many aspects and issues of Social Security and Medicare as well as many other topics of interest.
Google Scholar
Search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts, and technical reports from all broad areas of research. Find articles on Social Security from a wide variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, and universities, as well as scholarly articles available across the web.
National Academy of Social Insurance
Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization made up of the nation's leading experts on social insurance. Its mission is to promote understanding and informed policymaking on social insurance and related programs through research, public education, training, and the open exchange of ideas.
Social Security Law: an Overview (Cornell University, Legal Information Institute (LII))
Full text reference materials covering law and regulation issues relating to all areas of Social Security.
Social Security Network: a Century Foundation Project (Century Foundation)
Resource for information and research on the Social Security program and the debate about its future.
Understanding the Social Security Debate (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco)
Reviews some of the basic facts about the U.S. Social Security system, describes how it is financed and the factors contributing to its future insolvency, and discusses options for restoring its financial health.
Library Databases
CQ Researcher (Congressional Quarterly, Inc.)
Available on Library computers to all. Available off-campus to UMass Amherst students, faculty, and staff with an OIT account; enter your OIT username and password when prompted. Offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on Social Security. Well-documented full text overviews of current issues, including bibliographies, chronologies, and other useful features.
PAIS International
Available on Library computers to all. Available off-campus to UMass Amherst students, faculty, and staff with an OIT account; enter your OIT username and password when prompted. Includes citations to journal articles, books, government documents, Internet sites, statistical compilations, directories and reports of public and private organizations, 1972 to present. Citations only, no full-text.
Primary Sources on Social Security
Compilation of Social Security Laws, Including the Social Security Act, as Amended, and Related Enactments Through ... (U.S. House. Committee on Ways and Means)
(UM/Gov. Docs. Y 4.W 36:10-3/ )
Fast Facts About Social Security (Social Security Administration)
This annual booklet highlights data on the most important aspects of the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs--the people they serve and the benefits they provide.
Social Security: a Primer (Congressional Budget Office)
(UM/Gov.Docs. Y 10.2:SO 1/3) (1991).
Examines demographic patterns of the aging U.S. population. Discusses strategies to deal with that aging population.
Social Security Bulletin (Social Security Administration)
(Per HD 7123 S 56) (1938- ).
Full text available online from 1983. Reports current data on the Social Security Administration and the results of research and analysis pertinent to the Social Security Program.
Social Security Handbook (Social Security Administration)
Includes an overview of the social security system, descriptions of programs and benefits, explanations of provisions, and eligibility.
Social Security Programs Throughout the World (Social Security Administration)
Highlights the principal features of social security programs in more than 170 countries. Provides information for each country on the types of social security programs, types of mandatory systems for retirement income, contribution rates, and demographic and other statistics related to social security.
SSI Annual Statistical Report (Social Security Administration)
Covers such topics as federal benefit rates and total annual payments, federally administered payments, state-administered supplementation, work incentives,
applications, outcomes of applications, awards, denials, and suspension of benefits. Full text online editions available from 1999. |
