187 lines
6.6 KiB
Markdown
187 lines
6.6 KiB
Markdown
Prepared by: Government Publishing Office
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Revised: September 26, 2024
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# Contents
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[1 Introduction [1](#introduction)](#introduction)
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[2 Conventions Used in the User Guide
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[2](#conventions-used-in-the-user-guide)](#conventions-used-in-the-user-guide)
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[3 Brief USLM Background [3](#brief-uslm-background)](#brief-uslm-background)
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[4 Existing Documentation
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[4](#existing-documentation)](#existing-documentation)
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[5 What Has Not Changed [5](#what-has-not-changed)](#what-has-not-changed)
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[6 Schema Changes [6](#schema-changes)](#schema-changes)
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[6.1 New Document Type [6.1](#new-document-type)](#new-document-type)
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[6.2 New Elements [6.2](#new-elements)](#new-elements)
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[6.3 New Attributes [6.3](#new-attributes)](#new-attributes)
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[6.4 Mathematical Formulae
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[6.4](#mathematical-formulae)](#mathematical-formulae)
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[7 Feedback [7](#feedback)](#feedback)
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# 1. Introduction
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This Review Guide is intended to help readers to understand changes in the
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2.0.17 version of the United States Legislative Markup (USLM) schema so that
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they can provide meaningful feedback on the changes. This guide assumes that
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the reader is familiar with the 2.0.12 version of the USLM schema and is
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generally knowledgeable about XML schemas in XSD format. For more information
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about the 2.0.12 and 1.0 versions of this schema, see section 4 of this
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document for links to existing documentation.
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This guide reflects USLM schema version 2.0.17.
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# 2. Conventions Used in the User Guide
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The following conventions are used in the User Guide:
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- XML element names are denoted with angled brackets. For example, `<title>` is
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an XML element.
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- XML attribute names are denoted with an “@” prefix. For example, `@href` is an
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XML attribute.
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- Enumerated values are denoted in a fixed width font. For example, `landscape` is an enumeration.
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- String values are denoted with double quotes. For example, `“title1-s1”` is a
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string value.
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- A new ***term*** being defined is shown in bold italic.
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- A new **element** or **attribute** being defined is shown in bold.
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# 3. Brief USLM Background
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The USLM schema was first developed in 2013 by the Office of the Law Revision
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Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives (OLRC) in order to produce the
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United States Code in XML. Since 2013, the OLRC regularly produces a USLM
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version of the United States Code for download at
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<http://uscode.house.gov/download/download.shtml>. The USLM version of the U.S.
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Code is updated continuously as new laws are enacted.
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The original goals of the USLM schema included:
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1. *Allow existing titles of the United States Code to be converted into XML.*
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2. *Support ongoing maintenance of the United States Code.*
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3. *Support the drafting of new positive law codification bills and related
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materials.*
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4. *Provide a flexible foundation to meet future needs of Congress.*
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5. *Compatibility with existing legislative documents in other XML formats.*
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The 2.0.12 version of the USLM schema extended its use to the following
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document sets:
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- Enrolled Bills and Resolutions
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- Public Laws
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- Statutes at Large
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- Statute Compilations
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- Federal Register (FR)
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- Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
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The 2.0.17 version of the USLM schema further extends its use to
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- Bill and Resolution document stages prior to enrollment
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- Older Statutes at Large volumes
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# 4. Existing Documentation
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User documentation for the 1.0 version of the schema can be found at
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<https://github.com/usgpo/uslm/blob/main/USLM-User-Guide.pdf> and
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<https://github.com/usgpo/uslm/blob/main/USLM-User-Guide.md>.
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User documentation for the 2.0.12 version of the schema can be found at
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<https://github.com/usgpo/uslm/blob/main/USLM-2_0-Review-Guide-v2_0_12.pdf> and
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<https://github.com/usgpo/uslm/blob/main/USLM-2_0-Review-Guide-v2_0_12.md>.
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The XSD schema and CSS stylesheets for online viewing can be downloaded at:
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<http://uscode.house.gov/download/resources/schemaandcss.zip> and
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<https://github.com/usgpo/uslm>. Note that the CSS stylesheet is informational
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only. It produces a draft view of the documents.
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Note: These resources and more are available on GPO’s Developers Hub at
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<https://www.govinfo.gov/developers>.
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# 5. What Has Not Changed
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Version 2.0.17 of USLM is an incremental change to the 2.0.12 schema. While
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some new elements have been added and a few content models have been extended,
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the fundamental design of the schema has not changed. Documents that were valid
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in version 2.0.12 are also valid in version 2.0.17 of the USLM schema.
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We have added one new document type, and a number of elements and attributes.
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Some content models have been loosened to allow constructs that we have seen in
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bill and resolution document stages prior to enrollment, and in older
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Statutes at Large volumes.
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# 6. Schema Changes
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## 6.1 New Document Type
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The **`<constitutionalAmendment>`** element is a document containing an
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Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. It has the same structure
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as other types of law documents.
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## 6.2 New Elements
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The `<leftRunningHead>` and `<rightRunningHead>` elements have been joined by a
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**`<centerRunningHead>`** element.
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The **`<endorsement>`** element is a new element used in bills and resolutions
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prior to enrollment. It is found at the end of the document and contains a
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selection of document metadata. It is usually printed sideways.
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The **`<addedText>`** and **`<deletedText>`** elements are used to indicate
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added or deleted content that amends a bill or resolution in amendment
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documents and reported bills. The styling is determined by the attributes set
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on the committee whose ID is used in the `@origin` attribute of the content.
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The existing elements `<quotedText>` and `<quotedContent>` are used to indicate
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amendments to law.
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The `<preface>` element now allows two new elements: **`<firstPageHeading>`**
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and **`<firstPageSubheading>`**.
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A **`<referenceMarker>`** element is allowed with or instead of a `<num>`
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element for cases when a level requires a non-hierarchical designation with or
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instead of the usual hierarchical designation.
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## 6.3 New Attributes
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The **`@addedDisplayStyle`** and **`@deletedDisplayStyle`** attributes declare
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the styles used in bills, resolutions, and amendment documents prior to
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enrollment to indicate added or deleted content that amends bills and
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resolutions. These attributes are set on the `committee` element defining the
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committee that produced the reported bill or amendments document.
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## 6.4 Mathematical Formulae
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USLM 2.0.17 incorporates the MathML 3 schema. This provides support for
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representing most mathematical formulae.
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# 7. Feedback
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To submit feedback, questions, or comments about the USLM 2.0.17 schema and
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this Review Guide, please open a GitHub issue at
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<https://github.com/usgpo/uslm/issues>.
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