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Session Laws
After a bill passes, it is assigned a sequential public law number. For example, the 23rd bill passed in the 103rd Congress would be Public Law 103-23.
The text of the public law is printed first in pamphlet form, which is known as a slip law. Then, at the end of each legislative session, laws are arranged chronologically and printed in the United States Statutes at Large (known as the session laws).
- Slip laws (Print)- Coverage: Kept until bound in United States Statutes at Large
- Notes: A slip law is the first official publication of a law - United States Statutes at Large (Print)- Coverage: 1789 - present
- Notes: The Statutes at Large is the official compilation of public and private laws. It is printed annually and the laws within are arranged by order of passage. See also Index to the federal statutes, 1874-1931 - ProQuest Congressional- Coverage: 1789 - present
- Availability: Law building only - Hein Online- Coverage: 1789 - almost present
- Availability: Licensed access for UW-Madison students, faculty and staff
- Notes: See the U.S. Statutes at Large Library - govinfo- Coverage: 1951 - 2011
- Availability: Free on Internet - Congress.gov- Coverage: 1995 - present
- Availability: Free on Internet
United States Code
The United States Code (USC) contains all public and permanent federal laws currently in force and is arranged by subject matter. In the citation 18 U.S.C. 1000, 18 refers to Title 18 in which many criminal laws are codified, and 1000 refers to the particular section of that Title.
The US Code is the official codification but there are also two unofficial annotated codes: the United States Code Annotated (USCA) from West and the United States Code Service (USCS) from LexisNexis.
- United States Code - Official (Print)- Coverage: 1940 - present
- Notes: The US Code is the official topically arranged collection of all laws currently in force. A new edition appears every 6 years with annual supplements. See also the 1925 & 1935 Code of Laws of the United States of America of a General and Permanent Character in Force. For earlier codifications, see Hein Online. - United States Code Annotated (Print)- Coverage: Current edition and some superceded editions
- Notes: This annotated code provides more detailed history notes for each code section than the official US Code, as well as notes of cases that have interpreted the laws. - United States Code Service (Print)- Coverage: Current edition
- Notes: This annotated code provides more detailed history notes for each code section than the official US Code, as well as notes of cases that have interpreted the laws. The United States Code Service was preceded by the Federal Code Annotated (1936-1971). The Law Library does not maintain this collection. - Hein Online- Coverage: Official U.S. Code 1925 - present
- Notes: See the United States Code Library - ProQuest Congressional- Coverage: Current edition of United States Code Services.
- Sources of Free Legislation on the Internet- Coverage: Official US Code Current edition
- Availability: Free on Internet
Legislative History
A legislative history is a term used to designate documents produced by Congress leading up to the enactment of a law. The purpose behind conducting a legislative history is to examine Congress’ intent behind the enactment of the law, or the reasons behind the failure of a bill to become a law.
See our separate guide to Federal Congressional Procedure and Legislative History for more information on locating these documents.