TOPN: Table of Popular Names


What's in a popular name?

Laws acquire popular names as they make their way through Congress. Sometimes these names say something about the substance of the law (as with the '2002 Winter Olympic Commemorative Coin Act'). Sometimes they are a way of recognizing or honoring the sponsor or creator of a particular law (as with the 'Taft-Hartley Act'). And sometimes they are meant to garner political support for a law by giving it a catchy name (as with the 'USA Patriot Act' or the 'Take Pride in America Act') or by invoking public outrage or sympathy (as with any number of laws named for victims of crimes). History books, newspapers, and other sources use the popular name to refer to these laws. Why can't these popular names easily be found in the US Code?

How the US Code is built.

The United States Code is meant to be an organized, logical compilation of the laws passed by Congress. At its top level, it divides the world of legislation into fifty topically-organized Titles, and each Title is further subdivided into any number of logical subtopics. In theory, any law -- or individual provisions within any law -- passed by Congress should be classifiable into one or more slots in the framework of the Code. On the other hand, legislation often contains bundles of topically unrelated provisions that collectively respond to a particular public need or problem. A farm bill, for instance, might contain provisions that affect the tax status of farmers, their management of land or treatment of the environment, a system of price limits or supports, and so on. Each of these individual provisions would, logically, belong in a different place in the Code. (Of course, this isn't always the case; some legislation deals with a fairly narrow range of related concerns.) The process of incorporating a newly-passed piece of legislation into the Code is known as "classification" -- essentially a process of deciding where in the logical organization of the Code the various parts of the particular law belong. Sometimes classification is easy; the law could be written with the Code in mind, and might specifically amend, extend, or repeal particular chunks of the existing Code, making it no great challenge to figure out how to classify its various parts. And as we said before, a particular law might be narrow in focus, making it both simple and sensible to move it wholesale into a particular slot in the Code. But this is not normally the case, and often different provisions of the law will logically belong in different, scattered locations in the Code. As a result, often the law will not be found in one place neatly identified by its popular name. Nor will a full-text search of the Code necessarily reveal where all the pieces have been scattered. Instead, those who classify laws into the Code typically leave a note explaining how a particular law has been classified into the Code. It is usually found in the Note section attached to a relevant section of the Code, usually under a paragraph identified as the "Short Title".

How the LII Table of Popular Names works.

Our Table of Popular Names is organized alphabetically by popular name. You'll find three types of link associated with each popular name (though each law may not have all three types). One, a reference to a Public Law number, is a link to the bill as it was originally passed by Congress, and will take you to the LRC THOMAS legislative system, or GPO FDSYS site. So-called "Short Title" links, and links to particular sections of the Code, will lead you to a textual roadmap (the section notes) describing how the particular law was incorporated into the Code. Finally, acts may be referred to by a different name, or may have been renamed, the links will take you to the appropriate listing in the table.

L-1 Visa and H-1B Visa Reform Act

L-1 Visa (Intracompany Transferee) Reform Act of 2004

La Follette-Bulwinkle Act (Venereal Diseases)

La Guardia-McKeown Act

La Pine Land Conveyance Act

Labor Day Act

Labor-Disputes Joint Resolution

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1941

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1942

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1943

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1944

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1945

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1946

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1947

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1948

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1949

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1950

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1951

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1952

Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1953

Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978

Labor Management Relations Act, 1947

Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959

Laboratory Modernization and Technology Transfer Act

Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Act

Lacey Act Amendments of 1981

Lacey Act (Game)

Laci and Conner&aposs Law

Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area Act of 2000

Lake Andes-Wagner/Marty II Act of 1992

Lake Champlain Special Designation Act of 1990

Lake Erie and Ohio River Ship Canal Act

Lake Hill Administrative Site Affordable Housing Act

Lake Mattamuskeet Lodge Preservation Act

Lake Oconee Land Exchange Act

Lake Ontario Protection Act of 1976

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Act of 2000

Lake Tahoe Restoration Act

Lake Thunderbird Efficient Use Act of 2012

Lamprey River Study Act of 1991

Lamprey Wild and Scenic River Extension Act

Land Acquisition Policy Act of 1960

Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965

Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of 1998

Land Disposal Program Flexibility Act of 1996

Land Grant Act (Northern Pacific)

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act

Land Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act Amendments of 1987

Land Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984

Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992

Lanham Act

Lanham Patent Act

Lanham Public War Housing Act

Larry Doby Congressional Gold Medal Act

Latin American Development Act

Launch Services Purchase Act of 1990

Launching Our Communities&apos Access to Local Television Act of 2000

Law Enforcement Assistance Act of 1965

Law Enforcement Availability Pay Act of 1994

Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008

Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act of 2022

Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act of 2017

Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act of 2010

Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004

Law Enforcement Pay Equity Act of 2000

Law Enforcement Scholarships and Recruitment Act

Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act

Law Enforcement Technology Advertisement Clarification Act of 1997

Law Enforcement Tribute Act

Law-Related Education Act of 1978

Layoff Prevention Act of 2012

Lea Act (Radio-Coercive Practices)

Lead-Based Paint Exposure Reduction Act

Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act

Lead Contamination Control Act of 1988

Lead-Zinc Small Producers Stabilization Act of October 3, 1961

Leadership in Educational Administration Development Act of 1984

Leahy-Smith America Invents Act

Lease Lot Conveyance Act of 2002

Leasehold Management Bankruptcy Amendments Act of 1983

Leave Act of the United States

Leavitt Act (Indians)

Lebanon Emergency Assistance Act of 1983

Lechuguilla Cave Protection Act of 1993

Lee Metcalf Wilderness and Management Act of 1983

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act

LEGACY Act of 2003

Legal Certainty for Bank Products Act of 2000

Legal Immigration Family Equity Act

Legal Services Corporation Act

Legal Services Corporation Act Amendments of 1977

Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974

LEGION Act

Legislative and Judiciary Appropriation Act, 1944

Legislative and Judiciary Appropriation Act, 1945

Legislative Appropriation Act, 1954

Legislative Appropriation Act, 1955

Legislative Appropriation Act, 1956

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1936

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1938

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1939

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1940

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1941

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1942

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1943

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1944

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1945

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1946

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1947

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1948

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1949

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1950

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1951

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1952

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1953

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1957

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1958

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1959

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1960

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1961

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1962

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1963

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1964

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1965

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1966

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1967

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1968

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1969

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1970

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1971

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1972

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1973

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1974

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1975

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1976

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1977

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1978

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1979

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1980

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1981

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1982

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1983

Legislative Branch Appropriation Act, 1984

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1985

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1986

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1987

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1988

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1989

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1990

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1992

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1993

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1994

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1995

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1996

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1997

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1998

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1999

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2000

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2001

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2003

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2005

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2006

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2008

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2009

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2010

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2012

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2014

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2015

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2016

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2018

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2019

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2020

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2021

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2022

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2023

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2024

Legislative Branch Inspectors General Independence Act of 2019

Legislative Branch Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999

Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Appropriation Act July 11, 1888, fiscal year 1889

Legislative-Judiciary Appropriation Act, 1954

Legislative-Judiciary Appropriation Act, 1955

Legislative Pay Act of 1929

Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946

Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970

Leif Ericson Millennium Commemorative Coin Act

Leonel Rondon Pipeline Safety Act

Leprosy Act

Lesinski Pension Increase Act

Let Everyone Get Involved in Opportunities for National Service Act

Let Our Veterans Rest in Peace Act of 2008

Lever Act (Food and Fuel Control)

Lewis and Clark Commemorative Coin Correction Act

Lewis and Clark Expedition Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park Designation Act

Lewis and Clark Rural Water System Act of 2000

Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986

Liberty Coin Act

Liberty Memorial Act of 1993

Librarian of Congress Succession Modernization Act of 2015

Library of Congress Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act of 1998

Library of Congress Digital Collections and Educational Curricula Act of 2005

Library of Congress Fiscal Operations Improvement Act of 2000

Library of Congress Inspector General Act of 2005

Library of Congress Police Act

Library of Congress Sound Recording and Film Preservation Programs Reauthorization Act of 2008

Library of Congress Sound Recording and Film Preservation Programs Reauthorization Act of 2016

Library of Congress Technical Corrections Act of 2019

Library of Congress Trust Fund Board Act

Library Services and Construction Act

Library Services and Construction Act Amendments of 1966

Library Services and Construction Act Amendments of 1977

Library Services and Construction Act Amendments of 1984

Library Services and Construction Act Amendments of 1990

Library Services and Construction Amendments of 1970

Library Services and Technology Act

Libyan Claims Resolution Act

Liens on Vessels Act

Lieu Lands Act (Forest Reservations)

Lieu Lands Act (Indian Reservations)

Lieu Lands Act (Northern Pacific Railroad)

Lieutenant General Act

Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act of 2018

Lieutenant Ryan Patrick Jones Post Office Designation Act

LIFE Act

LIFE Act Amendments of 2000

Life Insurance Act

Life Insurance Company Income Tax Act of 1959

Life Insurance Company Tax Act for 1955

Life-Saving Service Act

Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006

Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2020

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Act of 1990

Lime Research, Promotion, and Consumer Information Improvement Act

Limited Partnership Rollup Reform Act of 1993

Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004

Lincoln County Land Act of 2000

Lincoln County, Montana, Lands Transfer Act of 1994

Lincoln Highway Study Act of 2000

Line Item Veto Act

Line Item Veto Act of 1996

Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act

Liquor Enforcement Act of 1936

Liquor Law Repeal and Enforcement Act

Liquor Tax Administration Act

Liquor Taxing Act of 1934

Literacy Involves Families Together Act

Little Cigar Act of 1973

Little River Canyon National Preserve Act of 1992

Little Rock Central High School Desegregation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act

Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Act

Livable Cities Act of 1978

Live-Stock Bankruptcy Act

Live Stock Transportation Act

Livestock Fraud Protection Act

Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999

Living Equitably: Grandparents Aiding Children and Youth Act of 2003

Lloyd-La Follette Act

Load Line Act

Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995

Lobbying Disclosure Technical Amendments Act of 1998

Local Community Radio Act of 2010

Local Community Recovery Act of 2006

Local Government Antitrust Act of 1984

Local Government Fiscal Assistance Amendments of 1983

Local Preparedness Acquisition Act

Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act of 1976

Local Rail Service Assistance Act of 1978

Local Rail Service Reauthorizing Act

Locomotive Inspection Act

Lodge Act (Consular Reorganization)

Logan Act (Foreign Relations)

Long Island Sound Improvement Act of 1990

Long Island Sound Restoration Act

Long Island Sound Stewardship Act of 2006

Long-Term Care Security Act

Long Walk National Historic Trail Study Act

Longevity Pay Act

Longfellow House-Washington&aposs Headquarters National Historic Site Designation Act

Longline Catcher Processor Subsector Single Fishery Cooperative Act

Longshore and Harbor Workers&apos Compensation Act

Longshore and Harbor Workers&apos Compensation Act Amendments of 1984

Longshoremen&aposs and Harbor Workers&apos Compensation Act Amendments of 1972

Lord&aposs Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009

Lorton Technical Corrections Act of 1998

Los Padres Condor Range and River Protection Act

Lost Bond Act

Lost Property Act (Military Service)

Louis Braille Bicentennial--Braille Literacy Commemorative Coin Act

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Amendments of 1994

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Amendments of 1998

Low-Income Housing Preservation and Resident Homeownership Act of 1990

Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act

Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985

Low Power Protection Act

Lowden Act (Purchase of Embassy Buildings, etc.)

Lowell National Historical Park Land Exchange Act of 2012

Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Infrastructure Development Trust Fund Act

Lower Colorado Water Supply Act

Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2005

Lower Mississippi Delta Development Act

Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000

Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2002

Lower Saint Croix River Act of 1972

Lucas Act

Luce Patent Act

Luke and Alex School Safety Act of 2022

Lupus Research and Care Amendments of 2000