Presidential Documents in the United States
Proclamations and Executive Orders
Proclamations and Executive Orders are found in:
- Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. In print from vol. 1, no. 1 (August 2, 1965). Internet: gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/ (from 1993) and heinonline.org (1965-2005)
- Title 3 of the CFR and compilation volumes of Title 3.
- Statutes at Large. (PROCLAMATIONS ONLY from 1846)
- U.S. Code Congressional and Administrative News (USCCAN).
- U.S. Code Service. Advance pamphlets (Library keeps current pamphlets only).
- Treaties and other International Acts Series, when they proclaim treaties or other international agreements.
- Federal Register. EXECUTIVE ORDERS ONLY.
- ONLINE SOURCES: PRES-DAILY (daily presidential documents) from Jan 1993 in Internet at: gpoaccess.gov/executive.html.
Former databases include:
- Lexis: EXEC; PRESDC from March 24, 1979
- Westlaw: PRES database from 1936
- Westlaw: USCCAN-PROC (presidential proclamations) from 1984
- Westlaw: USCCAN-MSG (presidential messages from 2000, signing statements from 1986)
Finding Aids:
Indexes and Tables:
- Index to CFR and Index to compilations of Title 3
- CIS Federal Register Index.
- USCCAN Table 7 lists proclamations, Table 8 lists executive orders, and index lists documents both by subject and under the headings “executive orders” and “proclamations.”
- New Jersey Historical Survey Project. List and index of Presidential executive orders: unnumbered series, 1789-1941. Wilmington, Delaware. Michael Glazier, 1979 (reprint).
- New York City Historical Records Survey. Presidential Executive Orders, numbered 1-8030, 1862 – 1938. New York, Books Inc., 1944.
Compilations:
- U.S. President. Codification of Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders. Washington, D.C. Office of the Federal Register, National Archives General Service Administration, 1989. Internet: archives.gov/federal-register/codification/ (from Apr. 13, 1945 – Jan. 20, 1989)
- Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (1965- ). Indexed quarterly. Internet: gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/ (from 1993)
- Public Papers of the President of the United States. Annual compilation. Internet: gpoaccess.gov/pubpapers/ (from 1991)