USA Simple Civics · Sources
Where does the information come from?
Start with the record. Read what it says. Check what it leaves out.
This directory points you to useful records, data, and research. For the source behind a particular number or claim, open that topic page and look beside the claim or in its sources section.
Explore the data guidesHow we check informationThree kinds of sources
- Original records: a law, vote, court opinion, historical document, or published dataset. These tell us what was recorded.
- Research and estimates: studies that collect or analyze information. Read the methods, dates, and limits.
- Explanations: summaries that help us understand a subject. Check important claims against the records they cite.
An official source can still contain an estimate, an error, or missing information. Topic-page citations should support the claims beside them. This directory is a starting point, not evidence for every claim on the site. Linking to a publisher does not mean we agree with everything it says.
Laws, courts & history
Read the law, decision, or historical record.
Congress.gov
Bills, laws, and the steps Congress took.
GovInfo
Official publications, including laws and the Congressional Record.
Supreme Court opinions
Read the Court’s decisions and reasoning, including separate opinions by justices who agree or disagree.
Constitution Annotated
Congressional Research Service explanations of the Constitution and court decisions.
National Archives
Original documents and historical records.
Congressional votes & ethics
See recorded votes and public disclosures.
House roll-call votes
Recorded votes in the U.S. House.
Senate roll-call votes
Recorded votes in the U.S. Senate.
House ethics
House ethics rules, guidance, and public materials.
Senate ethics
Senate ethics rules, guidance, and public materials.
Lobbying disclosures
Federal lobbying filings. Check the reporting period.
Elections & campaign money
Find election guidance and campaign records.
USA.gov voting guide
A starting point for finding official voting information.
Election Assistance Commission
Election administration, voting systems, and research.
Secretaries of State
State election resources from their national association.
Electoral College records
Official electoral vote records and explanations.
Federal Election Commission
Federal campaign finance filings and rules.
Taxes, spending & debt
Follow public money and read budget estimates.
IRS state collections
Federal tax collections by state, before refunds.
Treasury: Debt to the Penny
Federal debt totals, including debt held by the public.
USAspending
Federal awards, including contracts and grants.
Congressional Budget Office
Budget analysis, cost estimates, and projections. A projection is not a recorded result.
State money comparison
New York State Comptroller report comparing federal taxes and spending across states (2024 PDF).
Jobs, prices & housing
Check what a number measures and which area it covers.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employment, wages, inflation, and other labor statistics.
Census data
Population, income, housing, and community data.
Bureau of Economic Analysis
State economic output, income, and related measures.
FRED
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis collection of data from many publishers. Check the original source on each series.
Health, college & Social Security
Find costs, program statistics, and historical tables.
National health spending
CMS historical spending estimates. National spending is not a typical patient bill.
HealthCare.gov
Federal health insurance guidance and coverage information.
College cost history
National Center for Education Statistics table on tuition, fees, room, and board.
Social Security statistics
Annual Statistical Supplement with program and benefit tables.
Immigration & public benefits
Separate legal categories, enforcement counts, and program rules.
Immigration statistics
DHS yearbooks with tables on immigration. Different tables count different events; they are not all counts of new arrivals.
Visa information
State Department explanation of visa dates and permission to stay.
Immigration court resources
Department of Justice information about immigration court proceedings.
Crime, policing & prisons
Compare the same measure, place, and year.
FBI Crime Data Explorer
Explore police-reported crime data. Check agency participation, year, and definitions before comparing places.
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Statistics about the justice system, including corrections.
National Institute of Justice
Research on returning to crime after prior justice-system involvement.
International comparisons & transport
Read country definitions and the notes behind comparisons.
OECD Data Explorer
International data on health, education, taxes, and more.
High-speed rail
International Union of Railways resources. UIC is a railway industry association.
London transit fares
Transport for London operator information. Check current fares before travel.
Which source should I use?
- For your ballot: use your state or local election office for current deadlines, rules, and results. Start with your ballot guide.
- For benefits or eligibility: use the agency that runs the program in your state. Rules can differ by program, location, and immigration status. See immigration and public benefits.
- For historical numbers: use the dated report linked on the topic page. A newer release may revise earlier figures.
- For comparisons: check the year, units, population, and definition. Missing data does not mean zero. A change during a president's term does not, by itself, prove what caused it.