FEDERAL+STATUTORY+MATERIALS

=**FEDERAL STATUTORY MATERIALS**=


 * __VOCABULARY__**

__**Bill**__: proposed law introduced in either the House or Senate. • H.R. bill # • S. bill #

__**Joint Resolution**__: may originate either in the House or in the Senate--not, as is sometimes incorrectly assumed, jointly in both Houses. There is little practical difference between a bill and a joint resolution and the two forms are often used interchangeably. **DIFFERENCE**: A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution is approved by two-thirds of both Houses, it is not presented to the President for approval.

• H.J. Res • S.J. Res


 * __Concurrent Resolution__**: A matter affecting the operations of both Houses . They are not legislative in character since not "presented" to the President for approval, but are used merely for expressing facts, principles, opinions, and purposes of the two Houses. A concurrent resolution is not equivalent to a bill and its use is narrowly limited within these bounds.

• H.Con.Res • S.Con.Res

__**Simple Resolution**__: A matter concerning the rules, the operation, or the opinion of either House alone.

• H.Res • S.Res

__**Engrossed**__: bill after third reading ordered by either House.

__**Enrolled**__: after bill passes both Houses. Prior to presentation to the President. Official legislative enactment.

__**Public Law**__: affects the nation as a whole. Pub. L. No. 109-1 (109th Congress, 1st law passed).

__**Private Law**__: benefits specific individual(s). Priv. L. No. 109-1 (109th Congress, 1st law passed)

__**Slip Law**__: statute published in individual, unbound pamphlets.

__**Positive Law/Legal Evidence of the Law**__: laws contained in the Statutes at Large (discussed below). Laws contained in the Statutes at Large are proof positive of the law.

__**Prima Facie Evidence of Law**__: Words contained in the United States Code are the law unless rebutted. 22 titles of USC have been enacted into positive law called codified reenactments.

For a good discussion of Positive law vs. Prima Facie evidence __see__: 1 USC §§112, 204 United State National Bank of Oregon v Independent Insurance Agents of America

__**WHERE TO FIND STATUTES**__

United States Code (USC): contains consolidation and codification of the general and permanent laws of the US, in 50 titles. It is the __official__ version of the Code. It does not contain annotations. Updated every 6 years and cumulative supplement issued after each regular session of Congress.

__Statutes at Large__: permanent collection of the laws of each session of Congress. It is the chronological arrangements of the laws as enacted. Volumes are broken down into multiple parts. Each part has its own indexes (subject, popular names, bill # to PL# conversion).

__Revised Statutes of 1875__: codifies all public laws enacted between 1789 and 1873 still in force. Laws arranged by topics and titles and further subdivided into chapters and sections. Also includes a subject index. The laws included in the Revised Statutes are positive law.

__United States Code Annotated (USCA) = West__
 * Information received from U.S.C.
 * Has a General Index, Popular Names Table, and Tables volumes
 * Tables volume includes Revised Statute to USCA citation; Statutes at Large, Public Law Number to USCA citation; Executive Orders status, Proclamations status.

__United States Code Service (USCS) = Lexis__
 * Information received from Statutes at Large
 * Has a General Index, Popular Names Table and Tables volumes
 * Tables volume includes Revised Statute to USCA citation; Statutes at Large, Public Law Number to USCA citation; Executive Orders status, Proclamations status.

__**HOW TO FIND STATUTES**__


 * If you don’t have a citation, you will need to look in the indexes by subject.
 * If you know the popular name of a law, for example, Taft-Hartley Act, look in the Popular Names index.
 * If you have a Statutes at Large citation or Public Law number, check the Tables volumes referred to above.
 * If all else fails: look in a secondary source like American Jurisprudence.

__**MISCELLANEOUS**__


 * Update a citation using either Shepards or Keycite
 * Check Credits and Statutory and Historical Notes for legislative history research.
 * Most statutes begin with a definition section—check it if confused about a word.
 * Check pocket part or paper supplement for updates.