The Statutes at Large, explained
The Statutes at Large are the official record of every law Congress passes. Here is what they are, how they relate to the U.S. Code, and where to read them.
What they are
The official record of every law
Under 1 U.S.C. § 112, the Archivist of the United States compiles and publishes the United States Statutes at Large. They contain all the laws and concurrent resolutions enacted during each regular session of Congress, presidential proclamations and constitutional amendments. The same section makes the Statutes at Large legal evidence of those laws.
Laws appear in the order they were enacted, not by subject. Each law is cited by volume and page. For example, House Joint Resolution 192 of 1933 is 48 Stat. 112, and the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 is 38 Stat. 251.
The U.S. Code
How the Code relates to the Statutes
The United States Code takes the general and permanent laws from the Statutes at Large and arranges them by subject into titles. The Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the House of Representatives prepares it.
Under 1 U.S.C. § 204, the Code establishes the laws prima facie. However, when Congress has enacted a title into positive law, the text of that title is legal evidence of the law. For a title that is not positive law, the underlying Statutes at Large remain the legal evidence.
Where to read them
Official sources
govinfo — Statutes at Large
The U.S. Government Publishing Office collection of the Statutes at Large.
Office of the Law Revision Counsel
The official U.S. Code, with notes tracing each section to the Statutes at Large.
U.S. Code on Lawtopolis
Browse every title, chapter and section of the Code here.
Overview
Reading the Statutes at Large
The Statutes at Large are the starting point for federal statutory research. Every law Congress passes appears there first, in the order it was enacted. For that reason, the Statutes at Large show exactly what Congress passed and when.
To find a law, start with its citation. For example, 48 Stat. 112 means volume 48, page 112. Then open that volume in the official sources or on govinfo. Also check the U.S. Code notes, which trace each section back to the Statutes at Large.
Next, check whether the Code title is positive law. If it is, the Code text itself is legal evidence of the law. If it is not, the Statutes at Large remain the legal evidence, and the Code is prima facie evidence.
Finally, laws change. So check for later amendments, which also appear in the Statutes at Large and in the Code notes.
Lawtopolis provides legal information and education, not legal advice. Using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and court rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time; verify every authority against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction about your situation.