# What the he'll is The US Code? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627 "2011-07-19T20:59:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/1 "2011-07-19T20:59:18Z")
See subject. I was prompted from another thread here/now… ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/2 "2011-07-19T21:01:01Z")
Google tells me[this:](http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/) > [@](#): > > The United States Code is the codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. It is divided by broad subjects into 50 titles and published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Since 1926, the United States Code has been published every six years. In between editions, annual cumulative supplements are published in order to present the most current information ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/3 "2011-07-19T21:05:39Z")
You can find it for free online at several sites, including [this official site](http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/). ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/4 "2011-07-19T21:14:25Z")
I assumed it was 1. That’s what I have to dial when I’m overseas to call home. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/5 "2011-07-19T22:46:41Z")
Everything the layman thinks of as “US law” or “Federal law” is technically termed the US Code. Everything the layman thinks of as “Federal Regulations” is technically termed the Code of Federal Regulations. [http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html](http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html) ---
**Author:** ![jbaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/59ef9b/32.png) [@jbaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jbaker)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/6 "2011-07-20T15:12:18Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Everything the layman thinks of as “US law” or “Federal law” is technically termed the US Code. > > Everything the layman thinks of as “Federal Regulations” is technically termed the Code of Federal Regulations. [http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html](http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html) Actually, there are some uncodified statutes. Also, the U.S. Code does not include any state laws, which are not “Federal law” but are “US law.” Hmm, are there things that the layman would think of as “Federal Regulations” that are not part of the Code of Federal Regulations? There are uncodified issuances with regulatory effect (for example, SEC forms, which are not codified), but I can’t immediately think of any uncodified “Federal Regulations.” ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/7 "2011-07-20T15:38:07Z")
> [@jbaker](#): > > Hmm, are there things that the layman would think of as “Federal Regulations” that are not part of the Code of Federal Regulations? There are uncodified issuances with regulatory effect (for example, SEC forms, which are not codified), but I can’t immediately think of any uncodified “Federal Regulations.” The Domestic Mail Manual. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/8 "2011-07-20T16:15:45Z")
The United States Code is the compilation of the statutory law of the United States. > [@jbaker](#): > > Also, the U.S. Code does not include any state laws, which are not “Federal law” but are “US law.” In the legal arena, “U.S.” is routinely used interchangeably with “federal.” While I can understand that in colloquial terms, one can see how both federal and state laws are “U.S. laws” (or “American laws”), in my experience anyone associated with the legal profession or government would use “U.S. law” to be an an exact synonym of “federal law.” ---
**Author:** ![jbaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/59ef9b/32.png) [@jbaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jbaker)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-the-us-code/589627/9 "2011-07-20T16:26:47Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The United States Code is the compilation of the statutory law of the United States. > > In the legal arena, “U.S.” is routinely used interchangeably with “federal.” While I can understand that in colloquial terms, one can see how both federal and state laws are “U.S. laws” (or “American laws”), in my experience anyone associated with the legal profession or government would use “U.S. law” to be an an exact synonym of “federal law.” The U.S. Code is, as you say, the compilation of federal statutory law, but it isn’t all statutes; that would be the public and private laws enacted by Congress. If you’ll look through Statutes at Large, you’ll see that there are some provisions that don’t get codified. Typically these are less important provisions not expected to have broad effect or dealing only with the time of effect of the new statute. As to whether “U.S. law” is synonymous with “federal law,” it depends on context. And, yes, I am someone associated with the legal profession.