Federal Statutes

This guide aims to provide the user with a general understanding in locating and updating known statutes and in identifying federal statutes by citation, name, or subject.

• Introduction
• Publication of Federal Statutes
  • Arrangement of Federal Statutes
  • Session Laws
  • Codes
  • Updating the Codes

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  Arrangement of Federal Statutes

  Federal statutes are arranged in two different ways:

  • Chronologically as slip laws and session laws.
  • Topically (by subject) in codes.

  Session Laws

  Federal statutes are first published as slip laws (individual pamphlets designated by public law number and containing the text of newly passed legislation). At the end of each Congress, the slip laws are compiled and published in chronological sequence as session laws in the official session law publication for federal statutes, United States Statutes at Large . West Publishing publishes an unofficial session law set, United States Code Congressional and Administrative News ( USCCAN .) USCCAN is the standard working tool for session law research because it is far more current than either the official slip laws or United States Statutes at Large .