Now you can read the same information on policy issues that goes to members of Congress.

The Center for Democracy and Technology, a Washington research group, has posted several thousand reports by the Congressional Research Service on its website, www.opencrs.com. The Congressional Research Service, a part of the Library of Congress, has long been known for its comprehensive, nonpartisan reports on a wide range of issues, but by law it makes the reports available only to members of Congress and their staffs. The public can request copies from congressional offices, and at least one private vendor sells some reports.

The Center for Democracy and Technology said it has collected reports, which are not classified, from a number of sources and is making them available free on the searchable website.

Topics of recent reports include gasoline prices, drug testing for professional athletes, mass transit and U.S. military involvement in peacekeeping.

The center urged people to contribute to the collection by requesting reports from their member of Congress and making them available to the website.