The anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s first flight into orbital space provides an interesting occasion to explore the Library’s Congressional Digital Collection. Back in 1961, some members of Congress speculated that the achievement was a Soviet hoax “shrouded in mystery” and cited newspaper editorials demanding more evidence.

These statements in the Congressional Record and other congressional documents serve as useful resources in researching the history and development of the space program as well as the cultural response to the space age. The LexisNexis/ProQuest Congressional Digital Collection includes the full-text of congressional documents, reports, and hearings (from 1789 to the present).