Government
Federal Government & General Government Sites
USA.GOV : GOVERNMENT INFORMATION BY TOPIC - One-stop access to all online U.S. federal government resources: everything from researching at the Library of Congress or tracking a NASA mission to buying stamps, checking local air quality, applying for student loans, calculating Social Security benefits, filing consumer complaints, comparing Medicare options, finding government grants, and bidding for government contracts. Also includes links to state and local governments.
U.S. GOVERNMENT REFERENCE CENTER - A gateway of reference information relating to the federal government, including commonly used federal abbreviations and acronyms, calendars and important dates from different government agencies, contact information for federal, state, & local government officials, data & statistics, forms & applications, laws & regulations, historical documents, maps, publications and more.
FEDERAL CITIZEN INFORMATION CENTER - Free U.S. Government brochures and pamphlets on cars, computers, education, employment, family, food, health, housing, money, small business, travel, and more. You can read the publications online or order printed copies (there is a charge for some printed documents).
Ask A Librarian: Government Information Online (GIO) - On this website you can get help via live chat or e-mail from 'government information librarians who are experts at finding information from government agencies of all levels (local, state, regional, national international) on almost any subject from aardvarks to zygomycosis... GIO is a free online information service supported by nearly twenty public, state and academic libraries throughout the United States.'
Benefits.gov - See GovBenefits.gov.
C-Span Capitol Spotlight - Weekly public affairs coverage from the C-Span Cable network; includes video. C-Span also offers a quick way to keep track of recent Congressional votes, and an easy way to Contact Government Officials (president, senators, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, state & federal agencies, and others), plus news and resources on current topics such as the Economic Stimulus Program.
Census Bureau - Statistics on U.S. population and demographics, as well as economic data, plus information about the
2010 Census
. (U.S. government site)
Citizenship and Immigration Services - Information on USCIS (formerly INS) services such as naturalization, citizenship, green cards, international adoptions, emergency travel, and more. (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
Congress 101 - A detailed reference guide to how Washington works, explaining legislation, amendments, budget, campaign finance, executive privilege, filibuster, gerrymandering, political action committees, and much more. Created for Congress members, but useful to anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of how our government operates. (Congressional Quarterly)
Congressional Research Service Reports [UPDATED LINK!] - An online library of research reports prepared for the U.S. Congress on a wide range of topics in health, defense, labor, environment, business, government policy, and much more. Scroll down the page to browse by subject. PDF format (University of North Texas). See also Congressional Budget Office Publications for economic analyses on many current issues. PDF documents, arranged by subject.
Congress Votes Database - Lets you browse every vote in the U.S. Congress since 1991. Also provides a profiles for all members of Congress, plus lists of members who've missed the most votes, members with perfect attendance, voting-with-party scores, financial disclosure reports, most-voted-on bills, and more (Washington Post; commercial site). C-Span's Congressional Votes page offers a searchable record of Congressional votes since 1996.
Current Legislation - Search current Congress for text of bills, by bill number or by word/phrase; or browse by sponsor. (Library of Congress)
FBI: Most Wanted - Pictures and information on terrorists and other criminals sought by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (Official site)
Federal Budget Process - Briefly explains how the federal budget is created; from the Concord Coalition ('a nationwide, non-partisan, grassroots organization,' founded by the late former Senator Paul Tsongas, former Senator Warren Rudman, and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Peter Peterson). See also Understanding the Federal Budget [LINK OPENS A PDF DOCUMENT] (Federal Reserve Bank of NY).
The Federal Register (1994 to present) - The Federal Register is the official daily publication for Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive Orders and other Presidential Documents. Searchable. (Official site)
Federal Spending - A free, searchable database of federal spending on grants and contracts. Includes useful lists of the top 100 contractors and grants for each year since 2000, awards by congressional district, etc. The data is taken from the Federal Procurement Data System and the Federal Assistance Award Data System (OMB Watch, nonprofit research and advocacy organization). For information on how funds from the 'American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009' (Economic Stimulus) are being used, see Recovery.gov (The White House)
FedNet 
- Online streaming video of the United States Congress, with archives.
Forms.gov - A portal to printable and/or downloadable government forms for all kinds of purposes, including financial aid, passports, taxes, social security, copyright, housing, immigration, etc. You can search the site by keyword, agency, or form name (General Services Administration). See also Forms from the Feds [UPDATED LINK!] (University of Memphis).
Google's U.S. Government Search - This search will retrieve only U.S. government websites (federal, state, and local).
GovBenefits.gov - If you need government benefits but aren't sure which ones are available to you, check this website. See also Grants.gov, GovLoans, and Government Benefits, Grants, and Financial Aid. (Official sites)
GovLoans - A gateway to information about federal government programs offering loans for housing, education, business, and other purposes. (Official site)
Government Accountability: High Risk Programs 
- 'Highlights major problems that are at high risk for waste, fraud, abuse mismanagement or in need of broad reform.' In addition to ongoing problems, the GAO designated three new high-risk areas in 2009: Modernizing the Outdated U.S. Financial Regulatory System, Protecting Public Health through Enhanced Oversight of Medical Products, and Transforming EPA's Processes for Assessing and Controlling Toxic Chemicals. You can read the highlights, summary, or full report, or access audio/video on specific topics. (U.S. Government Accountability Office)
Government Podcasts - A directory of podcasts originating from federal and state elected officials and agencies. Arranged by subject; covers business & economics, family, health, history, money, science & technology, and more. (USA.gov)
GPO Access - The U.S. Government Printing Office disseminates official information from all three branches of the Federal Government. From the A - Z Resource List you can browse resources alphabetically, browse by broad topic (use the drop-down menu at the top), or search by keyword.
Homeland Security / Ready.gov - Information on current threats, and advice for families and business on preparing for emergencies. (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
Immigration Services & Benefits: see Citizenship and Immigration Services, above.
Libraries - Links to federal government libraries, including research libraries at federal agencies and military libraries. Also links to online library databases. See also Federal Depository Libraries list.
Loans - See GovLoans.
National Security Archive - An independent non-governmental research institute and library which collects and publishes declassified documents on a wide range of topics pertaining to the national security, foreign, intelligence, and economic policies of the United States. Coverage from 1946 onward. (George Washington University)
Public Records Resource Center - Free links to public records including 'business information, corporate filings, property records, unclaimed property, professional licenses, offenders, inmates, criminal and civil court filings, and much more.' Search by keyword or browse by category or geographic location (BRB Publications). Public Records Free Directory is a similar site. For New Jersey only, the Courier News & Home News Tribune offer Data Universe, with links to property records and taxes, government payrolls, school performance report cards, crime reports and conviction records, and much more. See also New Jersey Public Record. (The previous listings are all are commercial sites.) See Public Records & Info Brokers for consumer information on how the proliferation of online information brokers affects your privacy (Privacy Rights Clearinghouse). See also Vital Records, described below.
Regulatory Resource Center - Information about how you can take an active part in the federal regulatory process. Explains how to comment on a proposed rule or regulation, how to file a petition for rulemaking, and more. (OMB Watch, nonprofit research and advocacy organization)
Rutgers: Government Publications - A guide to the government documents collection in the Alexander Library at Rutgers. Click here for a list of all federal depository libraries.
Selective Service System - Explains who must register for potential military service (draft), when and how to register, and related information. (Official site)
Sex Offenders Registry - 'Public information regarding the presence or location of offenders, who, in most cases, have been convicted of sexually-violent offenses against adults and children and certain sexual contact and other crimes against victims who are minors.' (U.S. Department of Justice)
Social Security Administration - Use this website to request a Social Security number/card, compute your benefits, get the address of your local office, find out how to apply for benefits, and more. Click on 'Top Ten Requested Services' for commonly-requested services. (Official site)
State Department Services - Forms and application information for visas and passports, plus travel publications and travel warnings, international business, international adoption, and other State Department services. (Official site)
Sunlight Foundation: Resources - Links to websites providing 'a broad range of information available to track government and legislative information, campaign contributions and the role of money in politics.' (Nonprofit organization)
U.S. Blue Pages - The public website is no longer available. Federal listings are available by phone at 1-800-FEDINFO (1-800-333-4636). See also U.S. Government Telephone and E-mail Directories (USA.gov) and U.S. Government Manual (described below).
U.S. Constitution (Annotated) - The full text of the Constitution, with historical background, commentary, and important court cases for each article, section, clause, and amendment. (Cornell University)
U.S. Executive Branch Resources - Links to the White House and executive agencies and departments, as well as independent federal agencies. (Library of Congress)
U.S. Government Manual - This official directory of the U.S. government describes the various branches, offices, and agencies and what they do, and lists department and agency heads, addresses, phone numbers, websites, e-mail, etc. Includes an archive back to 1995. Search by keyword(s). (Official site)
U.S. House of Representatives - Links to representatives' official website, as well as Congressional committees, leadership, etc. (Official site)
U.S. Judicial Branch Resources - Access to information about and opinions from the various federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. (Library of Congress). See also the official website of the U.S. Supreme Court.
U.S. Legislative Branch Internet Resources - Links to a variety of U.S. legislative information, including House & Senate websites, historical information, and external sites. (Library of Congress)
U.S. Postal Service Customer's Guide - Explains postal rates and fees, different shipping options, and other services. You can also buy stamps and arrange for shipping with carrier pickup. Includes a chart of current prices and a postage price calculator for domestic and international shipping. The U.S. Postal Service FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) answers common questions about postal services, including some information which may be hard to find elsewhere, such as the list of official post office holidays. Search the FAQ by keyword, i.e., 'holidays'. Enter an address or zip code in the Post Office Locator to search for addresses, phone numbers, hours, and maps for individual post offices. When you find the P.O. you're looking for, click on 'More Info' to get the LOCAL PHONE NUMBER (U.S. Postal Service). Use the Mailbox Locator to find USPS collection stations (blue mailboxes) in any zip-code area (commercial site, not affiliated with the USPS).
U.S. Senate - Connect to Senators' official websites, search for a bill by number or keyword, or check the Senate schedule. Includes a Virtual Reference Desk, which serves as a clearinghouse of Senate information on the Web and guides to resources in libraries and archives. (Official site)
U.S. Supreme Court - Official website. See also the Oyez Project , a multimedia archive for all audio recorded in the Supreme Court since October 1955. 'The Project also provides authoritative information on all justices and offers a virtual reality 'tour' of portions of the Supreme Court building, including the chambers of some of the justices.' (Funded by the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, et al.)
Vital Records - This site was organized for hurricane victims, but much of the information here will be useful to anyone who needs to replace lost or stolen documents, including birth/marriage/death certificate, immigration papers, driver's license, passport, tax return, social security/Medicare card, and even damaged money. See also Vital Records: Documents Issued in the U.S.. (U.S. government sites)
White House Online - Includes news and press statements, facts about the Presidency, the history of the White House, and a children's site. (Official site)
State & Local Government
See also:
LOCAL INFORMATION
STATE OF NEW JERSEY HOME PAGE - Connect to the Governor's office, state departments and agencies, tourism information, education, and business resources for the state of New Jersey.
BOROUGH OF SOUTH PLAINFIELD HOME PAGE - Includes information on the mayor and council, departments and agencies, municipal court, recreation, and more. Also offers the Community Bulletin Board and Senior Corner.
City/Town Info - Links to websites of many local governments and chambers of commerce in every state. (High Cotton Information Systems)
Data Universe - A searchable collection of information from a wide variety of free public databases. 'If you ever wondered how much the governor is paid, how many math teachers are in your child's school, or how much every single state government employee is paid, look no further.' (Courier News & Home News Tribune, commercial site). See also New Jersey Public Record (commercial site).
NJ Government Documents Libraries - A list of libraries that house collections of NJ state government documents, arranged by county. (NJ State Library)
NJ Government Resources and Contact Information - Names, addresses, and links to key offices of the state government, legislature, judiciary, and local election resources (Project VoteSmart).
NJ Homeland Security - Statewide security and preparedness information.
NJ Online Licensee Directories - Find out the current status of the professional license (active, inactive, suspended, or expired) for practitioners of more than 80 professions and occupations in the state of NJ, including doctors, lawyers, dentists, accountants, acupuncturists, social workers, veterinarians, barbers, funeral directors, locksmiths, and many more. (New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs)
NJ State Legislature - Link to your elected legislators in Trenton. Also includes legislative committees and leadership, current bills, statutes, state constitution, and legislative calendar.
State and Local Governments - Links to information about governments of all 50 states (and some cities). (Library of Congress)
State Blue Books - A 'Blue Book' is the official reference manual for a state, containing information about the state's government, geography, economy, history and culture. This website provides the Blue Book's title for each state, the URL (if available), and Notes (if any). (American Library Association)
Unclaimed Property Search - Search state records to find out whether any unclaimed property is being held in your name, such as bank accounts and safe deposit box contents; stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends; uncashed checks and wages; insurance policies, CD's, trust funds; utility deposits and escrow accounts. Does not include real estate. (Sponsored by state governments and the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.)
Vital Records - This site was organized for hurricane victims, but much of the information here will be useful to anyone who needs to replace lost or stolen documents, including birth/marriage/death certificate, immigration papers, driver's license, passport, tax return, social security/Medicare card, and even damaged money. See also Vital Records: Documents Issued in the U.S.. (U.S. government sites)
International Government
Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments - Lists of the names of foreign government officials; no links, just names. Arranged by country; updated weekly. (CIA)
Country Background Notes - Facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty; include links to embassies and consulates, and other information. (U.S. State Department)
Foreign Consular Offices in the United States - Complete official listing, with addresses and phone numbers, of foreign consular and related offices in the United States, and names of recognized consular officers (subject to change). (U.S. State Department)
Multinational Reference - Links to information on foreign and international laws and constitutions, as well as general information on other countries and regions of the world. (Library of Congress)
U.S. Embassies - Alphabetical links to U.S. embassies and consulates in foreign countries. See also Foreign Embassies in the U.S. For additional information on embassies and consulates, see Foreign Embassy Information & Publications. (U.S. State Department)
