http://www.constitutionproject.org/manage/file/175.pdf

Covers the tools and powers available to Congress for carrying out oversight investigations, lessons to be learned from executive branch investigations, and the rights and roles of the minority party and individual committee members. Not a government document but written by a former staff member of the Congressional Research Service. From the Constitution Project.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40421.pdf

Discusses methods by which vacancies in the Senate have been filled since the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, the recent surge of vacancies, and legislative proposals that would mandate special elections with federal financial assistance to the state holding such an election. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40683_20090701.pdf

There are 645 informal member organizations listed in the congressional Yellow Book or registered with the Committee on House Administration. This report examines the purpose and activities of CMOs and the reasons members form them. It also identifies and describes 7 types of CMOs, discusses arguments for and against them, and provides a history of the development of such informal organizations since the first Congress. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by OpenCRS.org.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/RL31909.pdf

Explains the history, procedure, specific uses of resolutions of inquiry, and notes recent increases in their usage. Resolutions of inquiry seek factual information from the executive branch. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/eprint/fisher3.pdf

Counters the argument, often used by representatives of the executive branch, that they have exclusive authority over national security information stemming from the refusal of the Washington Administration to share papers concerning the Jay Treaty with Congress. Argues that members of both houses of Congress regularly obtained national security documents during and after the Washington presidency. From the Law Library of Congress.

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL34599_20090305.pdf

Examines the arguments for and against introducing a question period where the president and his chief cabinet officers would go before Congress to answer questions and engage in debate. This report also surveys how question periods are conducted in Great Britain and other parliamentary democracies, and outlines some legislative considerations for policymakers considering a question period for Congress. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by OpenCRS.org.

http://www.fas.org/irp/eprint/ford-intel.pdf

Addresses basic questions of presidential power, congressional oversight of intelligence, covert action, domestic surveillance and many other issues that would still be matters of controversy during the Bush Administration. Originally prepared for President Ford with then Chief-of-Staff Dick Cheney's name on the cover, declassified in 2000, and posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/secrecy/R40238.pdf

Analyzes Executive Order 13489 of President Obama and how it departs from the policies of the Bush administration in providing access to presidential records. Also looks at how current legislation in the 111th Congress would affect presidential records policies of the Obama administration. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40076.pdf

Describes and defines what congressional commissions are and how they differ from presidential or other federal government commissions, the types of congressional commissions, their legislative value, and criticisms that have been directed at them. Also provides a catalog of congressional commissions created since the 101st Congress in 1989-1990. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists.

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40086_20081231.pdf

Provides information on those in the House (262 Democrats and 178 Republicans) and the Senate (55 Democrats, 41 Republicans and 2 independents) who comprised the membership of the 111th Congress as of the date of release of the document. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by OpenCRS.org.

http://change.gov/page/-/hem5zet3nalm2/2008%2012%2023%20PTT%20Contacts%20Memo.pdf

Report of the Obama transition staff on contacts with the Office of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich relating to the selection of a new senator. From the transition staff.