Federal Law & Legislation

There are various sources to consult if you are seeking information about federal laws. For an explanation of how federal laws are enacted, see the Law Library of Congress's publication "How Our Laws Are Made." If you would like assistance, you can Ask a Librarian.

During its Congressional sessions, the United States Congress considers hundreds of bills and resolutions that are filed by members of Congress. If a bill makes it through the legislative process and becomes law, the bill is forwarded to the Archivist of the United States for filing and publication. The Archivist assigns a public or private law number, depending on the type of legislation, and it is first officially published as what is known as a "slip law." All of the legislation passed by a particular session of Congress is then compiled and published in a bound volume of the U.S. Statutes at Large that contains all of the session laws passed by that particular Congress. Every six years, all federal legislation currently in effect is compiled and arranged by subject matter in the U.S. Code.

To find more information about federal laws, use the links below.

page last updated: 19 Jul 2023 5:00 PM