United States Revised Statutes
Encyclopedia
The Revised Statutes of the United States was the first official codification of the Acts of Congress. It was the precursor to the United States Code
.
Previous codifications by private publishers were useful shortcuts for research purposes, but had no official status. Congress undertook an official codification called the Revised Statutes approved June 22, 1874, for the laws in effect as of December 1, 1873. The Congress re-enacted a corrected version in 1878. The Revised Statutes were enacted as positive law
, but subsequent enactments were not incorporated into the official code, so that over time researchers once again had to delve through many volumes of the United States Statutes at Large
or use unofficial, privately published supplements.
According to the preface to the United States Code
, "From 1897 to 1907 a commission was engaged in an effort to codify the great mass of accumulating legislation. The work of the commission involved an expenditure of over $300,000, but was never carried to completion." During the 1920s, some members of Congress revived the codification project, resulting in the approval of the Code by Congress in 1926.
United States Code
The Code of Laws of the United States of America is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal laws of the United States...
.
Previous codifications by private publishers were useful shortcuts for research purposes, but had no official status. Congress undertook an official codification called the Revised Statutes approved June 22, 1874, for the laws in effect as of December 1, 1873. The Congress re-enacted a corrected version in 1878. The Revised Statutes were enacted as positive law
Positive law
Positive law is the term generally used to describe man-made laws which bestow specific privileges upon, or remove them from, an individual or group...
, but subsequent enactments were not incorporated into the official code, so that over time researchers once again had to delve through many volumes of the United States Statutes at Large
United States Statutes at Large
The United States Statutes at Large, commonly referred to as the Statutes at Large and abbreviated Stat., are the official source for the laws and concurrent resolutions passed by the United States Congress...
or use unofficial, privately published supplements.
According to the preface to the United States Code
United States Code
The Code of Laws of the United States of America is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal laws of the United States...
, "From 1897 to 1907 a commission was engaged in an effort to codify the great mass of accumulating legislation. The work of the commission involved an expenditure of over $300,000, but was never carried to completion." During the 1920s, some members of Congress revived the codification project, resulting in the approval of the Code by Congress in 1926.