The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) has collaborated with the Library of Congress to digitize volumes of the United States Statutes at Large, which contains all of the laws and resolutions enacted during each session of Congress. Now available online:
- volumes 65-116 (1951-2002, or the 97th-107th Congresses) and
- volumes 117 through 121 (2003-2007, or the 108th-110th, 1st Session, Congresses).
You can search the contents. Select the Statutes in the “Available Collections” box and click the “Add” button. Then type a search for keywords in the full text, or use other search terms such as a citation. You also can add a date restriction.
Need more recent public laws? You have a couple of options (neither of which has older legislation as far back as GPO):
- LexisNexis Academic (UW subscription) typically adds new public laws within 24 hours.
- Thomas (free from the Library of Congress)
Need really old laws? The Library of Congress provides digitized text of the first 18 volumes, containing the laws of the first forty-three Congresses (1789-1875).
Please ask a librarian for assistance with finding materials.
