Statutes at Large

Statutes at Large
Name	Statutes at Large
Country	United States
Language	English
Published by	United States Government Publishing Office
Oclc	768768372
Website	https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/STATUTE

Statutes at Large. Officially known as the *United States Statutes at Large*, it is the permanent collection of all laws and resolutions enacted during each session of the United States Congress. Published by the United States Government Publishing Office, it serves as the official chronological record of public and private laws, concurrent resolutions, treaties, and presidential proclamations. Its primary purpose is to provide an authentic, comprehensive, and sequential archive of federal legislative activity, distinct from the subject-arranged codes like the United States Code.

Definition and Purpose

The series constitutes the formal textual evidence of laws passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by the President of the United States, or enacted over a presidential veto. It includes every Act of Congress, whether permanent or temporary, general or special, and is essential for historical research and legal interpretation. The purpose is to document the exact language of legislation as originally passed, preserving legislative history for courts, scholars, and agencies like the Library of Congress. This chronological record is crucial for understanding the original intent behind statutes later codified in the United States Code.

Historical Development

The publication of session laws began with the first session of the First Congress under the Constitution of the United States. Early volumes were produced by private printers until the official government publication was authorized. A significant milestone was reached with the Act of Congress of December 13, 1895, which established the permanent series format. The responsibility for publication has been held by various federal entities, including the United States Department of State and the Government Printing Office. Historical compilations, such as those covering laws from the Continental Congress and the period under the Articles of Confederation, are included in earlier volumes.

Content and Organization

Each volume contains all public and private laws, concurrent resolutions, reorganization plans, and constitutional amendments ratified during a congressional session. It also publishes treaties between the United States and foreign nations, such as those negotiated following the Treaty of Versailles, until 1948. Proclamations issued by presidents, like those by Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, are included. The laws are arranged strictly in chronological order by date of enactment, with each law assigned a sequential statute number. Marginal notes and citations to the United States Code are provided for reference.

Legal Status and Authority

In terms of legal authority, the text contained within these volumes is considered the definitive evidence of the law as enacted. While the United States Code is the codified law presented for practical use, courts will consult the original session laws to resolve ambiguities. This principle was affirmed in decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States, including cases like Bowsher v. Synar. For treaties and international agreements, such as the North Atlantic Treaty, the published text is the official version. Its authority is foundational for legal research conducted at institutions like the Georgetown University Law Center.

Publication and Access

Volumes are published annually for each session of Congress under the authority of the Archivist of the United States. Since 2011, the authenticated digital versions have been made available online through the Government Publishing Office's GovInfo system. Print volumes can be found in federal depository libraries, such as the Law Library of Congress, and major academic libraries like the Harvard Law School Library. Historical volumes, including those from the 18th century, have been digitized by projects like the Library of Congress's American Memory.

Comparison with Other Legal Compilations

Unlike the topically arranged United States Code, which organizes active general laws by subject into titles, this publication is a chronological register. Other historical compilations, like the Statutes of the Realm for England, serve similar archival functions for their respective jurisdictions. In the United States, commercial services like West's United States Code Annotated provide annotated versions of the code with case law, but they derive their statutory text from this official source. The relationship is analogous to that between session laws of California and its California Codes, or between acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the revised statutes of the United Kingdom.

Category:United States federal legislation Category:United States federal publications Category:Legal documents