Editing United States Code (section)

==Number and growth of federal crimes==
There are conflicting opinions on the number of federal crimes,<ref name="failed">{{cite news |title=Many Failed Efforts to Count Nation's Federal Criminal Laws |first1=Gary |last1=Fields |first2=John R. |last2=Emshwiller |date=July 23, 2011 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304319804576389601079728920 |access-date=August 8, 2017 |archive-date=August 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812063329/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304319804576389601079728920 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="revisiting" /> but many have argued that there has been explosive growth and it has become overwhelming.<ref>{{cite news |title=As Criminal Laws Proliferate, More Are Ensnared |first1=Gary |last1=Fields |first2=John R. |last2=Emshwiller |date=July 23, 2011 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703749504576172714184601654 |access-date=August 8, 2017 |archive-date=September 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904190523/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703749504576172714184601654 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=ABA leader calls for streamlining of 'overwhelming' and 'often ineffective' federal criminal law |first=Martha |last=Neil |work=[[ABA Journal]] |date=June 14, 2013 |url=http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ABA_leader_calls_for_streamlining_of_overwhelming_and_often_ineffective/ |access-date=June 15, 2013 |archive-date=October 22, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022193649/http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ABA_leader_calls_for_streamlining_of_overwhelming_and_often_ineffective/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rehnquist Urges Shorter List of Federal Crimes |first=David G. |last=Savage |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=January 1, 1999 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-01-mn-59496-story.html |access-date=June 15, 2013 |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129233636/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/jan/01/news/mn-59496 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1982, the [[United States Department of Justice|U.S. Department of Justice]] could not come up with a number, but estimated 3,000 crimes in the United States Code.<ref name="failed" /><ref name="revisiting" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Federal Laws Multiply: Jail Time for Misappropriating Smokey Bear Image? |first=Debra Cassens |last=Weiss |date=July 25, 2011 |work=[[ABA Journal]] |url=http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/federal_laws_multiply_jail_times_for_misappropriating_smokey_bear_image/ |access-date=June 15, 2013 |archive-date=March 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327012554/http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/federal_laws_multiply_jail_times_for_misappropriating_smokey_bear_image/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1998, the [[American Bar Association]] said that it was likely much higher than 3,000, but did not give a specific estimate.<ref name="failed" /><ref name="revisiting" /> In 2008, the [[The Heritage Foundation|Heritage Foundation]] published a report that put the number at a minimum of 4,450.<ref name="revisiting">{{citation |title=Revisiting the Explosive Growth of Federal Crimes |first=John S. |last=Baker |date=June 16, 2008 |publisher=[[The Heritage Foundation]] |url=http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/06/revisiting-the-explosive-growth-of-federal-crimes |access-date=June 15, 2013 |archive-date=June 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604145938/http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/06/revisiting-the-explosive-growth-of-federal-crimes |url-status=unfit }}</ref> When staff for a task force of the [[United States House Committee on the Judiciary|U.S. House Judiciary Committee]] asked the [[Congressional Research Service]] (CRS) to update its 2008 calculation of criminal offenses in the USC in 2013, the CRS responded that they lack the manpower and resources to accomplish the task.<ref>{{citation |title=Way Too Many Criminal Laws, Lawyers Tell Congress |first=Todd |last=Ruger |date=June 14, 2013 |work=Blog of [[Legal Times]] |publisher=[[ALM (company)|ALM]] |url=http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2013/06/way-too-many-criminal-laws-lawyers-tell-congress.html |access-date=June 15, 2013 |archive-date=June 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618090237/http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2013/06/way-too-many-criminal-laws-lawyers-tell-congress.html |url-status=live }}</ref>