Category Archives: Government Information

Where to Find the President’s Fiscal 2013 Budget

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The President’s Budget is made available to the public by the Government Printing Office (GPO). The National Journal has photos of GPO employees producing these documents in print—each set reportedly weighing about 10 pounds.

Online, the Budget is available in PDF format on FDsys.  For the first time, the documents are also available from GPO as an app, available here or by scanning a QR code.

Another place to find the Budget is the White House Website, on the Office of Management and Budget page.

In addition, the law library has the budget available on CD-ROM.

Even Punxsutawney Phil Needs a Lawyer

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Punxsutawney Phil is not merely a celebrity groundhog, he’s a trademark that needs protection. A trademark search on TESS—the USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Search System—reveals that “Punxsutawney Phil” is a trademark owned by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Inc.

Jeff Lundy, a member of the club’s “Inner Circle” since 1990, is also the attorney responsible for sending out cease and desist letters to those who attempt to misappropriate Phil’s trademark. While Lundy’s practice involves more than protecting this woodchuck’s mark, according to the Wall Street Journal Law Blog, Phil is definitely his “No. 1 client.” In an interview, Lundy said: “Some lawyers have the opportunity to argue before the United States Supreme Court . . . .  But only one represents Punxsutawney Phil.”

Happy Groundhog Day!

The Congressional Record: There’s an App for That!

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The Daily Edition of the Congressional Record is now available, at no charge, on itunes. The app has been made available by the Library of Congress.

According to the itunes Preview page, the Congressional Record App will allow you to:

- Browse editions of the Congressional Record by date: January 4, 1995 (the 104th Congress, 1st Session) to the present
- Perform keyword searches within individual documents or sections within documents
- Share documents via email
- Save documents to your preferred iPad PDF reader
- Identify the latest bills and resolutions considered daily on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Identify the latest bills, resolutions, treaties, and nominations considered daily on the floor of the U.S. Senate

Happy Thanksgiving!

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On Thursday, November 26, 1789, the first Thanksgiving holiday was celebrated pursuant to a proclamation issued by President George Washington. An 1863 proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln established the last Thursday of November as the regular date for this celebration.

That tradition continued until 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the holiday would be celebrated on the second to last Thursday of November.  President Roosevelt was concerned that celebrating the holiday on the last Thursday of the month, which in 1939 was the last day of the month, would shorten the Christmas shopping season thus interferring with the country’s economic recovery.  Not surprisingly, this change prompted much controversy, including a split among states, a majority following the President but others refusing to change the date. (Listen to an NPR story about this change here).

On December 26, 1941, President Roosevelt signed a joint congressional resolution, known as the Thanksgiving Day Act (55 Stat. 862) establishing Thanksgiving as a Federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November.

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, the law library will have reduced hours:

  • Wed. Nov. 23 9:00am-5:00pm, References Services available 9:00am-2:00pm
  • Thurs. Nov. 24 Closed
  • Fri. Nov. 25 Closed
  • Sat. Nov. 26 Noon-6:00pm
  • Sun. Nov. 27 11:00am-11:00pm, Reference Services Available 2:00pm-9:00pm

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!