The collection can be sorted by the popular name of the law, by the date of its enactment, or by descriptive category of naming convention. The categories are our attempt to bring some degree of order to the chaos.
Database of Federal Statute Names
Database of Federal Statute Popular Names
| Title | Type | Popular Name |
Short Title |
Named For? | Classification | PL | Statute At Large | Date(s) Enacted | Interesting Part Statutized? | Leads to other named Legislation | Link/Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Force Act of 1870 | Description | Force Act of 1870 | NO short title | ch 114, 16 Stat 140 | X | nothing in statute | ||||||
| Geary Act (Chinese Exclusion) | Sponsor | Geary Act (Chinese Exclusion) | NO short title | Rep. Thomas Geary (D-CA) | ch. 60, 27 Stat 25 | X |
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=G000113 |
nothing in statute | ||||
| Thurman Act (Pacific Railroads) | Sponsor | Thurman Act (Pacific Railroads) | NO short title | Sen. Allen Thurman (D-OH) | ch 96, 20 Stat 56 | X |
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=T000251 |
nothing in statute; railroads | ||||
| Erdman Act of 1898 | Sponsor | Erdman Act of 1898 | NO short title | Rep. Constantine Jacob Erdman (D-PA) | ch 370, 30 Stat 424 | X |
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000199 |
Although Erdman was not in the House when the bil was finally signed into law, he had worked on previous versions which had passed the House in earlier Congresses. (See, eg, The House Devotes a Day to Labor Legislation, NY Times, Feb. 26, 1895) | ||||
| Garfield Act (Compulsory Railway Connection) | Sponsor | Garfield Act (Compulsory Railway Connection) | NO short title | Rep. James Abram Garfield, (future POTUS), (R-OH) | 45 USC 84 | ch. 124, 14 Stat 66 | N |
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=G000063 |
R.S. Section 5258 - no idea what this means; nothing in statute; | |||
| Wilmot Proviso (Slavery in Territories) | Sponsor | Wilmot Proviso (Slavery in Territories) | NO short title | Sen. David Wilmot (R-PA) | ch 111, 12 Stat 432 | X |
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000566 |
nothing in statute | ||||
| Covering-in Act | Description | Covering-in Act | NO short title | ch 328, section 5, 18 Stat 110 | N | no idea what "covering-in" is | ||||||
| Patterson Act (see Kidnapping Act) | Sponsor | Patterson Act (see Kidnapping Act) | NO short title | Sen. Roscoe Patterson (R-MO) | ch 301, 48 Stat 781 |
06/22/1932 05/18/1934 |
X |
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000127 |
nothing in statute | |||
| Cochran-Patterson Act (see Kidnapping Act) | Sponsor | Cochran-Patterson Act (see Kidnapping Act) | NO short title | Sen. Roscoe Patterson (R-MO); Rep. John J. Cochran (D-MO) | ch 301, 48 Stat 781 |
06/22/1932 05/18/1934 |
X |
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000127; http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000565 |
This is a great example of when the PNT's practice of listing two dates for an act -- one for when it was first enacted and another for an amendment -- is confusing. Sen. Patterson and Cochran sponsored the original act passed in 1932, which is ch. 271, 47 Stat. 326. The USSL citation given in the PNT is to a 1934 amendment to that law, which was sponsored by different Members. | |||
| Dingley Act (Shipping) | Sponsor | Dingley Act (Shipping) | NO short title | Rep. Nelson Dingley (R-ME) | ch. 121, 23 Stat 53 | X |
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000356 |
nothing in statute |