Secondary Data Sources: 

Government Information (U.S.A.)

American FactFinder
Powered by the U.S. Census Bureau, the site is the starting point for browse, search, or mapping data on all things American.

Bureau of Economic Analysis
The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis is the place to go for official economic data, such as gross domestic product (GDP), trade balances and the like.

Bureau Of Labor Statistics

Just as the Bureau of Economic Analysis site should be the first stop for overall economic data, so the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics dominates any search for labor and employment data – essential viewing for the subject.

Center For The Study Of Rural America
Site from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City addresses key issues facing rural America. Excellent (and free) economic reviews cover most topics.

Economic Statistics Briefing Room
White House site offers easy access to simple current U.S. federal economic indicators. Excellent for those needing just a brief overview of the issues.

EDGAR: SEC's Database Of Corporate Information
Free access to database of documents that publicly held companies are required to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

FedLaw

Experimental site for those doing Federal legal research. Areas covered include U.S. Code, statutes and regulations, Federal courts and GAO decisions.

FedStats
The Federal Interagency Council on Statistical Policy maintains this site to provide easy access to the statistics and information produced by more than 100 agencies for public use.

FedWorld
Department of Commerce site serves as a gateway into the "world" of Federal web information, including direct links to search engines for the Federal web.

International Data Base
Computerized data bank of demographic and socioeconomic data for 227 countries for selected years from 1950 to the present and demographic data projected to 2050.

IRS - The Digital Daily

Possibly one of the "least popular" popular sites on the Web, drawing a vast audience as much by fear as desire! In all seriousness, the site is an excellent information provider for those wanting or needing to learn more about the work of the IRS and the nature of the American taxation system.

The Library Of Congress

Online access to the largest library resource in the world. Site offers background on the library, as well as catalog searching and information on special displays and events. Special information sections are available for researchers, lawyers, librarians and many more.

National Center For Education Statistics

Department of Education site serves as a focal point for education data and information on topics such as examination performance, participation and private schools.

National Climatic Data Center

Self-proclaimed "world's largest archive of weather data" provides analysis of weather trends, past, present, and future. Information is available on a national, international, regional, or city-by-city basis.

Office Of The U.S. Trade Representative

Site provides a wealth of information on the activities of the Trade Representative and the negotiations taking place within organizations such as NAFTA and the WTO. Also provides background on the performance of industries such as steel and agriculture which operate in a tariff environment.

Stat-USA
Department of Commerce site for professional business, trade, and government research. Due to its professional focus, it is one of the only government sites to which access is restricted to subscribers only, although content summaries are available without cost.

Thomas: Legislative Information On The Internet
Library of Congress-maintained site provides full information on current and past legislative sessions and related activity. Committee reports and the current House and Senate committees are also covered.

The United States Commercial Service: Export.gov

Site provided on an interagency level to help U.S. companies operate in the global marketplace. Although focused very much on the practicalities of exporting, substantial information is available on global trade and international economics.

U.S. Census Bureau

The starting point for any demographic research covering the U.S., its regions, states and populations.

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

Provides information to the agricultural community on issues such as crop planting (by volume and distribution), livestock, production, productivity and prices, as well as historical data.

U.S. Government Printing Office

Agency is responsible for the publication of almost all Federal reports and official public materials (for example, the 9/11 Report by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence). Most recent reports are available as .pdf files for download, or hard copies can be purchased online or by telephone.

U.S. House of Representatives

Search Representatives' personal sites, committee sites and background information on House activities. Visitors can use a zip-code form to locate representatives by region.

U.S. Patent And Trademark Office Home Page

Essential site for intellectual property research. Searchable databases of trademarks and patents show full details of recorded marks and their holders, as well as expired marks and patents. The site also has a highly useful background section explaining what trademarks, servicemarks and patents are, and how registered marks differ from the unregistered.

U.S. Securities And Exchange Commission
Provides access to background documents and information that is not available from the EDGAR database. Also provides up-to-date news on SEC activities and policies.

U.S. Senate
Provides similar services to the House site, including coverage of current legislative proposals.

U.S. State Fact Sheets

Department of Agriculture-hosted site offers snapshots of every state – covering population, income, employment and farm and industry performance indicators.

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